God is With You, Courageous One!

The story of Gideon in the Old Testament is very applicable to you who feel overwhelmed. Gideon was hiding from his enemies the Midianites. He was threshing wheat in a winepress--the only place he could do so safely. Judges 6:12 says, "And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, 'The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!'" He had not been acting mighty or courageous, but God knew Gideon was about to do something great, with God's supernatural power. God saw Gideon for his future potential instead of his past failures or even his present fears.

In addition to calling Gideon a courageous man, the Angel told him "The LORD is with you." This is even more important than Gideon being called a man of valor. We are nothing without the LORD. You and I both know how limited our potential is without the grace of God through the presence of Jesus. Without God, we are going about our lives just trying to survive and not doing so very effectively. Just like Gideon was ineffectively threshing wheat in a winepress, you and I try to complete our never-ending to-do list in our own human capability. But God had great work for Gideon to do, and He has great plans for you as well! Spend a moment asking God to give you a vision for what He plans to do in and through your life in the near future! 

Right now, you might feel like all you do is change diapers or clean the house or go to doctor's visits or work long hours at a job you don't like. You might feel overwhelmed by your current circumstances. You might feel like you cannot do everything you have been thrown into. You might feel like this is too much for you, and since you cannot handle it all, you will just do nothing. But let me tell you what Gideon was about to do when God spoke to him. Gideon was about to have victory over all of his enemies with an army of only three hundred men! So be encouraged because right now God is with you, He is helping you, and He has a great and important job for you which He is equipping you for! And He is calling you to a sure and overwhelming victory!