The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading PlanSample

Who Can Stand?

She stares down at us from the wide screen or up from the magazine or across the sanctuary. She’s the “perfect” woman. She’s tall. She’s willowy. She always knows just the right thing to say . . . and when to say it. She’s the perfect host. She is involved in every committee. She’s the picture of who the world says we should be. We feel like the Israelites felt about the Anakites: “Who can stand up against that?”

No doubt the Hebrew nation trembled in their sandals at the thought of facing the mighty Anakites. However, God promised to be more than an ally to his people. He didn’t just say, “I will go with you to conquer the enemy.” Instead, he promised to go ahead of them. He promised to lead the charge into battle. God would conquer and take the land on their behalf. Of course, God kept his word. The Anakites were destroyed.

As believers, we’re not really at war with “perfect” women. When you put yourself in their high-heeled sandals, you realize they have their own insecurities: Do people like me for me? Am I a slave to my looks? Opposition and uncertainties loom in every woman’s heart. Do we really have to squeeze into the culture’s mold to fit in? To be respected? To have the right career? To matter? So many times our internal struggles are the real giants we must conquer. Conquering the heart and mind are the front line of the battle of faith.

When uncertainties about who you are make you feel small, remember that God is more than just a friendly ally. He is a trusted warrior who will go out ahead and battle your giants. As you grow in your faith and in grace, he will conquer your insecurities about your looks and abilities as you grow to realize that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). He will conquer your lack of confidence in conversation by giving you the proper words to say through his Holy Spirit. He will fill you with security by giving you his righteousness. Then, when you’ve walked through the challenge, you’ll know it was God who won the war, and you can give him all the glory.

What personal battles are causing your stomach to tie up in knots? What giant challenges are stopping you dead in your tracks? Rest assured; God will go before you to devour your doubts.

Taken from NIV Women’s Devotional Bible