As a child, I could be described as shy, especially when it came to speaking to adults or meeting new people. I spoke very softly, just enough to be heard. My place was behind the scenes—not out front so everyone could see me, and I was easily intimidated by people of influence or authority. I even took this same mindset of intimidation into adulthood. I never wanted it to be said of me that I was wasting someone else’s time. For some reason, I did not feel worthy of people’s time. I would say “no” for someone before even asking them a question because I didn’t want to be rejected. I’d make assumptions about how someone feels about something before getting any details. “Putting myself out there” was just not something I imagined myself doing– not without cringing at the thought of it. Even today, I still fight these thoughts. 

There is someone, though, in the bible with whom I have always related with because his mindset was the same, yet God declared him a warrior despite his circumstance and despite the way he saw himself. That man was Gideon and God saw the greatness in Gideon that he could not see. Follow along as I break this passage down.

Judges 6:12-16

¹² When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

This is important to note because before these versus the Israelites had been beaten up pretty badly by the Midianites and had been less than victorious. As a matter of fact, Midian impoverished them so much that they cried out to the Lord for help (Judges 6:6) So, when the angel of the Lord called Gideon a “mighty warrior” it wasn’t because he was trying to be positive in the midst of their oppression. It was because he had already seen the end–Gideon the mighty warrior! When God looks at you, he doesn’t think, “Poor kid…your situation is really getting the best of you…” No! He knows what your victorious end looks like because HE is the one who causes you to win! (2 Cor. 2:14) 

¹³ “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

Granted, Gideon had questions for the Lord, like we all do sometimes. Even after the Lord said He was with him, Gideon seems to have barely heard it. Perhaps because, at the moment, it surely didn’t look like God was with them. Gideon was well aware of his circumstance and it didn’t match what God was saying. Sometimes any encouragement we receive, we allow the enemy to steal it and replace it with thoughts of unbelief. Here, God is calling Gideon to walk by faith and not by sight.

¹⁴ The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

Notice that the angel of the Lord hardly addresses Gideon’s fears. Instead of mulling over WHAT he sees in front of him, he reminds Gideon of WHO is standing with him. I love that God will not even humor us by discussing the doubts planted by the enemy. He makes sure that the devil does not have a say-so in this convo. I like how he also said for him to go in the strength he had. I interpret this as how God needs us to do our part. We have to physically get out of our funk, out of our own heads, and walk in our purpose. Also, that last line, “Am I not sending you?” makes me laugh a little because it’s almost as if God is saying, “Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know I created the heavens and the earth? Don’t you know I formed you and I am the reason you have breath?” Let’s give God some credit here! He deserves every bit of it. If He said it, then believe it. Whenever you feel uncomfortable walking in your purpose, I want you to hear God saying, “Am I not sending you?” 

¹⁵ “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

Clearly Gideon still does not feel like a mighty warrior. He just told God that he is the weakest link in his entire family. Think about the low self-esteem that Gideon must have had. He continues to view himself as unimportant and not worthy of anything great. It is not until two chapters later that Gideon gains the confidence of being a mighty warrior. This is only because God continues to lovingly prove Himself faithful to Gideon time and time again. Sometimes as believers we need that, and as you grow in your faith, your confidence in God should, too.

¹⁶ The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

He says it again: “I will be with you”. God will never stop reminding us that He is with us. Those 5 words ‘I will be with you’ are repeatedly seen throughout the bible. This is not a coincidence. This is a powerful, simple truth. Let it be enough!

For those of you who feel like you’re not worthy of being anything great, remember this: Your worth comes from God. When we go in our own strength without Him, we are sure to fail. Regardless of the doubt and fear we may feel, if God is sending us, then we go! My prayer for you is that you begin to see yourself the way God sees you—the beautiful, strong, and mighty warrior you are. Be confident in knowing that God has seen the end and it is good! 

Am I not sending you?

Original post date: 03/09/2020

Edited: 09/04/2024