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

Day 3

When Your Army is Dwindling

As a public school teacher, I feel fiercely, and inadequately prepared for my job on a daily basis. Both in the physical supplies available to me and in meeting the emotional and spiritual needs of my students, many of whom come from severe trauma and loss. I feel woefully ill-equipped much of the time.

But in my day job isn’t the only place I’ve felt that way. There have been times when it seems my support—be it financial, energy-related, emotional, or the system of people around me—dwindles until seemingly nothing remains. And I’m left wondering how on earth I’m supposed to do the things God has called me to do.

Owen McCready found himself in much the same situation.

“Ah, there ya are.”

Owen spun around to see John walking up the aisle of the church. “We thought the banshees had absconded with ya,” he said with a laugh and a wink.

Owen snorted. “That might’ve been more desirable.”

A shadow of concern swept across John’s face before his good-natured grin returned. “Things goin’ that well, are they?”

Owen huffed a breath and shook his head. “’Tis been a season, alright.”

John stepped up next to him and stared down at the yellowed pages. Nodding, he inhaled slowly and let the air slip from his lips. “Ye’ve had a mite few difficulties of late, to be sure.” He gestured to the Bible. “Gideon, eh?”

“Aye.” Owen turned and leaned against the table, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’ve not been able to stop thinkin’ about that story since Father Cunningham spoke of it last week.”

John matched Owen’s stance. “Well, that’s not surprisin’.”

Owen’s brows pulled together. “Why d’ya say that?”

“Well.” John shrugged. “Ye’re basically livin’ his same life.”

Owen looked at John from the corner of his eye. Had the auld man’s mind started slipping already? “Last I checked, the Almighty hasn’t asked me to lead an army into battle to save His people.”

John’s eyes rolled playfully. “It’s a metaphor, lad.”

Metaphor? Apparently, the man’s faculties were fully intact. Owen thought for a moment. There were a few similarities, he supposed. But beyond God’s plan for both men not making a lick of sense, Owen couldn’t see much else they had in common.

“Lookit,” John said, pushing off the table to face Owen. “Gideon was faced with an impossible task. In his case, it was defeating a massive army with limited resources and no soldiering background. For you, it’s gettin’ the weaving done on time and keepin’ yer farm up and goin’.”

Owen’s brows lifted, and he bobbled his head. He hadn’t really thought of it that way before.

“And,” John continued, “God required Gideon to do it with the bare minimum of manpower and supplies.” He shrugged and laid a hand on Owen’s shoulder. “He reduced the size of Gideon’s army down to next to nothing. And from where I stand, He’s doin’ the same fer ye.”

Owen’s hand floated up and absently scratched at the stubble on his chin. When it was laid out like that, it really did seem like he and Gideon had somewhat parallel lives. “Well,” he said after a pause, “when ya put it that way.”

Both men chuckled.

“I just wish I knew my story would turn out as well as his,” Owen added.

The corner of John’s mouth made a clicking sound, and he nodded. “Well,” he said, “I reckon that’s why it’s called faith.”

So as you can see, friend, this sense of dwindling support isn’t new. But neither is the reason it seems to be one of God’s most often used tools in our lives. You see, God didn’t cut Gideon’s army down from ten thousand to three hundred just for fun, or to be mean, or even to test Gideon’s faith or resolve.

Spoiler alert: God dwindled Gideon’s resources down to next to nothing so that when he was victorious, there would be no mistaking it was God who’d shown Himself faithful. No one would look at the end result and think it was Gideon, in his own power, who’d defeated the enemy.

And I believe it’s the same in our own lives. When it comes to hardship, scarcity, and struggle, there are lots of reasons God allows them to happen. Sometimes He causes them, and other times he merely allows them so that we have the opportunity to see Him work more clearly and powerfully than we might when we are feeling adequately prepared to face the battles of life.

As we’ve started to see, there is always a plan. And as we began to see today, and will see in earnest tomorrow, His plans oftentimes make absolutely no sense. As, as John said, “I reckon that’s why it’s called faith.”

Pray: If you are feeling like your resources are lacking, take that to God today. Ask Him to bolster your reserves and turn over what you do have to His care. Ask Him to help you trust Him to multiply it tenfold, whether it be energy, finances, health, or friendships.