God is our Strength - We are Not in Control

by Travel Helm, Global Reach Assistant Director

How many of you could describe some of the following statements below as part of your life experience, especially over the last 18 months?

• You have more things to do at work, home or school than is humanly possible to do.

• The things you are working on seem almost impossible to complete due to circumstances beyond your control (like pandemic restrictions).

• The things you are working on seem almost impossible to complete due to circumstances beyond your control (like pandemic restrictions).

• You find yourself tired, exhausted, and feeling like you have little or no control of normal day to day events within your work and family life.

• Resources and moral support seem to be at an all-time low.

• You get asked to come up with a creative new way to perform everyday tasks that you feel ill equipped, weak, and unqualified to do.

• You are fearful of how things will turn out.

Most of you probably know Gideon’s story in Judges chapter 6. I think Gideon demonstrates someone who was an average family guy, who was just trying to fly under the radar and provide the best he could for his family amid a very difficult, dangerous, and helpless situation. As a background to the story in chapter six, the Israelites had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight, so He handed them over to the Midianites. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites fled into the mountains hiding in caves and dens. The Midianites were camping all around on the lookout to devour every bit of food and possessions the Israelites had. They literally stripped the land bare and the Israelites were starving to death. At this point they cried out to the Lord for help. The Lord sent a prophet to remind them of how disobedience (sin) got them into this mess. Then the angel of the Lord brought a message to Gideon as we see below in Judges 6:12-16.

"The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”

Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

As we’ve navigated through this pandemic, many of us may relate with some of how Gideon may have felt in that day. I can remember a specific event in my life from early 2012 where I found myself overwhelmed and helpless knowing I was not in control. Below is a narrative of that story.

I was assigned a monumental new task at the ministry I served at full time. I was to lead a group of pastors through India for a two-week tour. This was the first time I would lead a group of pastors from different parts of the USA, throughout all of India. I was not the first choice but told I received the assignment because I was the only person who currently had a valid visa. I know I was not being asked to rescue a nation from the Midianites, but I still had several concerns and felt overwhelmed and not in control. One major concern I had which I didn’t really share with anyone was a fear of leaving my girls. Grace was 11 and Faith was 2½. Faith also struggled with asthma and regular ear infections. I really struggled processing the idea of something happening to them while I was on the other side of the globe, and not being in the US for them. It was the type of fear that can cripple a person emotionally and mentally. While in India, our group was on our way to visit a tribal church. Around 10 p.m. in the US, and before noon the next day in India, I received a text from my wife, Lisa. It read: “Been hoping to avoid this but wanted you to know that Faith has been running a high fever and now she is showing signs of respiratory distress–may need to head to the ER.” The horror on my face must have been evident because the Indian leader with me asked me if everything was okay. I explained the situation and he assured me that when we got to the village church they would pray. He had a confident, caring, reassuring smile on his face. They did pray, Indian style, and it was the most fervent praying I have ever experienced. After several moments of them all praying aloud together, the village pastor closed out the praying and they thanked the Lord for answering. About 20 minutes after we prayed, (a couple hours after Lisa’s first text) I received a second text from Lisa. “Her fever is completely gone; she is breathing quietly with no laboring or congestion–it’s unbelievable.” I was able to share that with all the believers at the village church and we thanked God. Although I prefer to not have that experience again, I’m a better person for having lived through it and I’m grateful for the growth in my faith that I experienced.

I had written down some concluding thoughts about what I had learned during that experience and what good things came through Gideon’s experience. My place of weakness and loss of all control caused me to totally depend on the Lord. I experienced Him working in this situation despite my fear and limitations. God made up for what I lacked and became my strength and much more. We can conclude the following from Judges 6. If Gideon would not have eventually trusted, obeyed and been totally dependent on the Lord, he would not have experienced the blessing of his faith increasing. He would have missed out on knowing God more intimately and Israel may not have experienced peace over the next 40 years. Others were impacted by his obedience. Those villagers at that tribal church in India got to experience God answering their prayers for my daughter’s healing. What a faith building experience for them and me! God is our strength.

My Indian leader friend and me traveling by plane inside India

Whatever challenge you are currently facing, whether you are a pastor or church leader trying to maintain your small groups and find ways for your congregations to maintain relationships. Whether you are that parent trying to help your children navigate school from home or a virtual classroom setting while you work full time. Whether you are that student trying to get through school or college with all the mandates and lockdowns. Whether you are an average family guy trying to provide for your family and help them navigate a world that is quickly declining in moral decay. I encourage you to trust Him through each step of that challenge, praying while seeking Him, depending on His wisdom and strength, believing He will be your provision at just the right time. Remember to be thankful for God's blessings. The devil will do everything to crush your walk with God. He wants to ruin your job, cause you shame, destroy your children's souls, and steal the joy in your life. He wants to destroy your walk and testimony with God. But God is our strength!!

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”