God’s Odd Battle Plans: Trusting God in All Things by Jennifer Deibelಮಾದರಿ

Day 2

When Things Go from Bad to Worse

Tweed weaver and sheep farmer Owen McCready is no stranger to hardship. To live in the wilds of Donegal in 1912 was hardship. But ever since Saoirse showed up in his life, it seemed whatever could go wrong did. After receiving his largest contract for tweed yet, Owen is injured in an attack by bandits trying to steal his sheep and is rendered unable to weave—and lucky to be alive, quite frankly. From there, things just go from bad to worse.

The muted trotting of Stout next to him as he crested the hill settled a strange comfort over Owen. But as he climbed over the stone wall hemming the flock in, the smile fell from his face, and his gut twisted. Nearly half his sheep were gone. He wandered the field, taking stock of which animals were left. The wee black lamb and his mother were gone, along with a few dozen of his best sheep.

Anger seethed in his gut, threatening to set him ablaze as his teeth clenched, and he paced with ever-quickening speed. A guttural scream built up in his chest, and he finally released it as he kicked a metal feed bucket that had been used to supplement the winter grass. His shout echoed in the night, the bucket flew and tumbled down a small knoll, and searing pain flashed in his foot. That was all he needed, a broken toe to add even more insult to injury.

Owen scolded himself for his outburst even as the pain tempted him to lash out once more. He chose, instead, to sink onto the stone wall. Ignoring the damp chill seeping through his breeches, he let his head fall into his hands. What else could go wrong? What was he supposed to be learning that he wasn’t grasping? Was God trying to show him something but Owen was too thick to see it, and therefore God sent more calamity his way?

Owen’s head wagged slowly back and forth. None of it made a lick of sense and, if he was honest, he wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.

Can you relate? So could Gideon in our reading today. After all that he and his people had been through, he needed reassurance that God truly was there and was a God of His Word—that He could be trusted.

And do you know what I love about today’s main passage? God understood! He didn’t smite Gideon for his request. He guided Gideon, gently and kindly, and showed him (over and over again, as it turns out) that He was with him. And it’s the same for you and me, friend.

Are you struggling to see where God is in your life or your current struggles? Does it feel as though you’re on the receiving end of the bad news brigade? You’re not alone. Not only are others in the same boat as you—and have been since the dawn of time—but also, God is with you. He is with you and He has a plan for you.

I don’t know why you are facing the difficulties that are currently pressing down on you. But I do know that nothing is wasted when we turn it all over to God and let Him use it all for our ultimate good and His glory.

Pray: Spend time today lifting up your worries and burdens to your Father. Ask Him to help you trust Him with all of it, and thank Him in advance for how He’s going to show Himself faithful. And as you go about your day, continue giving it back to God as you are tempted to ruminate and worry over those things.