READ: JUDGES 6:1–7:25; ROMANS 5:6; 2 CORINTHIANS 12:8-10

Have you ever made excuses to God? Blamed God when bad things happened? Feared what others would think if you obeyed God’s voice? I have. But so did Gideon, and God worked through Gideon to rescue an entire nation. When the Israelites were oppressed by the Midianites, the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and called him a “mighty warrior” (verse 12).

But Gideon’s response is not what you’d expect from a typical hero. First he asks why God would let the Midianites oppress them, and he accuses God of abandoning them (Judges 6:13). Bold words! Then he moves on to excuses. Gideon says he is the weakest of the weak, not the mighty warrior God told him he was. Gideon essentially says, if God finally wanted to rescue Israel, it would have to be through anyone except him. And, because Gideon doubts that the angel of the LORD is who he says he is, Gideon asks for a miraculous sign. It’s not until God consumes Gideon’s offering with fire that Gideon finally starts to believe.

But Gideon is not all-in yet. When God tells him to cut down his father’s altar to the false god Baal, Gideon obeys—but he does it at night, when nobody can see him, because he is afraid. Then, after summoning the Israelite men to arms, apparently he still has some doubts, because he asks God for two more signs. Yet God works through this unlikely hero—who accused God of abandonment, who reluctantly obeyed, and who had very little confidence—to save Israel. Not with the 32,000 men he had originally summoned, but with only 300, because God wanted His people to know that they were saved by Him, not by their own strength.

Even though Gideon was scared, struggled with doubts, and had far fewer resources than his enemy, he obeyed the Lord. And because of this, God worked through Gideon to save Israel from their enemies. So be encouraged that no matter what doubts you may have, or how scared you may be, or how many excuses you can come up with, God will work through you if you keep saying yes to Him, despite your fears and doubts. • Emily Gwaltney

• We all have weaknesses, but God is so good and merciful, He works in and through us even with our weaknesses. Remember, Jesus took on our weakness when He became human, died on the cross, and rose again. Because He loves us, we can trust Him with all our weaknesses. And once we know Jesus, He lives in us through the Holy Spirit, offering His strength. What are some of your weaknesses? Consider spending some time in prayer, bringing these to God.

God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NIV)