Something More Important than Fear

Scripture: So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night. Judges 6:27

Observation: When the angel of the Lord showed up to where he was working, Gideon, begged him not to leave without giving him a sign. Later, the Lord told Gideon to tear down an altar to Baal. Gideon did, but waited until night because he was afraid. When God asked him to lead an army against his enemies, Gideon pressed God for a sign. He knew that testing God was wrong because he asked God not to be angry with him. Later, God told Gideon to scout the enemy camp, and told him if he was afraid to scout the enemy by himself, he was to take his servant with him.
Gideon did as the Lord told him, but with a spirit of fear and uncertainty. He needed constant reassurance that he was doing what was right. God was gracious to him, and gave him the reassurance he was looking for, but then upped the ante by reducing Gideon’s fighting force from 32,000 to 300 men—further stretching Gideon’s faith. In the end, Gideon, clothed with the Spirit of the Lord, was successful.

Application: God can use people of weak faith. In Gideon’s defense, he never let his fear hold him back from obeying God. Ambrose Redmoon once wrote: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. Gideon judged that obeying God, removing idols, and defeating the enemy was more important than his fear.
In my world, I have many reasons to need reassurance. To need external validation that I am going in the right way. I may not cast a fleece, but I may look for the words of others to confirm direction. But the reality is that God has declared a course for me, and I need to hold fast to it. Seeking reassurance may be fine, but in the end, I need to judge that something else is more important than my need for reassurance—obeying the call of God.

Prayer: God, you have outlined some clear paths. Do not let naysayers or questioners cast doubt on your direction. Keep me open to your voice, but when I have heard it, let me judge that it is more important than fear. Help me to keep moving forward.