An encouraging and patient God

Through a series of questions and tests, God has reduced Gideon’s army to 300 men while the enemy has tens of thousands of soldiers. God may suspect Gideon’s likely bewilderment at those odds, so He offers a bit more encouragement:

That same night the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men who were in the camp. (Judges 7:9-11)

Several times God has affirmed his support of Gideon with visible miracles. From first making “fire spring from rock” to later showing Gideon a wet fleece and a dry fleece as proof of his commitment, God is patient with Gideon and his need for assurance. Now God acknowledges Gideon might still be afraid (who wouldn’t be?), and suggests Gideon first go and listen, learn, and then discover his strategy. By sending Gideon to gain confidence before the battle, God again demonstrates his support for Gideon and His patience with Gideon’s progress.

Family members and their businesses face constant battles and uncertainties. Sometimes we ask God to solve our problems, to show us a way out, or to answer our prayers in a specific way. God’s role, however, may simply be to encourage us to listen, to learn, and to discover our own unique answers or strategies to the challenges we face. God is remarkably patient with us, too, as we search for our path forward.

Have you experienced God’s patience, or the patience of someone close to you, as you work through your own feelings of inadequacy or fear? Are there times in your life when you’ve felt encouraged by God to embark on a path of discovery?