Facing Fear
When I first read the story of Gideon I was floored. Here was a young man who was afraid, felt abandoned by God and considered himself to be the most insignificant person in his family.
Every year during harvest time, his land would be raided by Midian, Amalek and Kedemites, leaving him and his people reduced to utter poverty. Right before one such raid, we find Gideon, hiding in the wine press, rushing to beat out some wheat to save it from his attackers. He is terrified.
An angel of the Lord suddenly appears to him and says, “The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior!”
Gideon is shocked. I get the sense that he probably looked behind him to check if the angel was talking to someone else.
He responds, “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are his wonderous deeds about which our ancestors told us when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ For now the Lord has abandoned us and has delivered us into the power of Midian.”
The scene continues with the Lord saying, “Go with the strength you have, and save Israel from the power of Midian. Is it not I who send you?”
Gideon responds, “Please, my Lord, how can I save Israel? My family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the most insignificant in my father’s house.”
I can relate to Gideon. There have been many times in my life where I feel like God is calling me to do something and I immediately hesitate. I begin to point out to him my current circumstances and how impossible what he is asking me to do is. I tell him, “I am not brave,” or “Don’t you remember when this didn’t work out before and I failed?” Or “Are you sure you don’t want someone stronger and more extroverted?”
But God, responds to me like He did to Gideon, “I will be with you.”
If you have ever helped a little kid with their math homework, you can relate to this. As they stare at the problem, they become visibly distraught that they will never be able to solve it and it’s too hard. But you, the adult who was once a child, knows that in fact they do have the capacity to solve it, with a little help. So, you lean in, and guide and encourage them.
In the same way, we can be like that child before God. We see the problems and battles raging all around us and we want to give up and hide. But God, calls us out, reminds us who we are and strengthens us.
He does this in a powerful way through his Holy Spirit. As you read later in the story, Gideon is “clothed with the spirit of the Lord” and begins to take action and accomplish the task God has called him to.
Oftentimes during the job search we may be gripped with fear. We may look at a job posting that matches our skills and interests but be too afraid to apply. Or we may be called in for an interview and before the day, begin to second-guess our experiences and ask ourselves if we really are qualified for the job. Or we may even get to the negotiation table and not counter-offer because we are afraid of being rejected.
It is those moments that the Holy Spirit, proclaims, “The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior!”
Let us ask the Lord for courage in those moments of fear and remind ourselves of who are.
I highly recommend reading the whole story (Judges 6-8) to see what happens to Gideon. It’s a fascinating read!