The first time I asked myself that question, a feeling of conviction swept over my heart. I don't rely on God to be enough for me. I'm pretty safe when it comes to putting myself out there. I like to do things that I know I'm good at, that I know I won't fail at. When I think about sharing my faith with someone, I can think of a million excuses why I can't. I don't know enough or I don't have the right words. I'm worried about what they will think of me or how they will respond. I'm afraid of rejection. Excuse after excuse after excuse and all of them have to deal with not having enough of something. Isn't God enough for me? Won't He give me the words to speak? Don't I trust Him?
I love the story of Gideon. If you haven't read it, it's a great story of the underdog. Gideon was a young Israelite guy working in the wine vats preparing for his family's escape from the mighty Midianites when God spoke to him. Judges 6:14-15 says, "The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength that you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you?" He said to Him, "Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house." God asked Gideon to deliver Israel and what was Gideon's response? Excuses. Sounds pretty familiar. But God's response to Gideon's excuses is the same response He gives us. Judges 6:16 says, "But I will be with you," the LORD said to him. "You will strike Midian down as if it were one man."
The first thing that strikes me about this exchange is that God commands Gideon to "go in the strength you have". God asked Gideon to step out in faith and reminded him that he had strength already. Gideon obviously thought the strength He had was not enough because we hear his excuses next, but God's response is key. God promises Gideon that He will be with him. If God made that promise to Gideon, don't you think He promises us the same thing? Sometimes God asks us to do hard things and that includes using the gifts we already have, but God is faithful to multiply those gifts and inject them with His power and strength to make even our smallest amount of knowledge and strength affective.
When you read further into the Book of Judges, you see Gideon in a real pickle when it comes to this whole defeating the Midianites thing. Gideon starts out with an army of 30,000, but God dwindles it down to a mere 300 men by the time the battle is revving up. The Midianite army consisted of thousands upon thousands of soldiers, so with Gideon's puny 300, the chances of defeating their foe looked pretty desolate. But notice in verse 15 of chapter 7, Gideon says to his soldiers, "...Get up, for the LORD has handed the Midianite camp over to you." Gideon was confident that the Israelites would be victorious, but why? I'm sure He didn't look at his 300 men and think, "Sure, we've got this. No sweat." Gideon wasn't confident in his own strength or the strength of the 300 soldiers. Gideon was confident because His eyes were on the Lord and he knew that God's provision would be enough. The Midianites, consisting of thousands of soldiers, were defeated by Gideon's 300 men. The reality is that the 300 men weren't Gideon's soldiers, they were God's chosen men and because God provided those specific 300, God used them to deliver Israel. God gave Gideon enough strength to lead the Israelites in the battle against Midian. God gave Gideon enough soldiers to defeat their foe. Don't you think God will give you enough of what you need to do what He has asked you to do?
God doesn't ask us to do things that are impossible. The only impossible task is the task you take on by yourself, without God. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." The verse doesn't say, "I can do all things." It says we can do everything "through Christ who strengthens me." Anything is possible when we rely on Christ to work in us and through us, but when we try to do it on our own, some things really are impossible.
So here's my question...what is God asking you to do? Is the reason you haven't done it because you don't think you can or maybe you don't have what it takes? By the world's standards, Gideon had no chance of defeating the Midianites, but with God's help, he did just that. Where we have inadequacies God steps in and fills the void. Do you believe that? Do you believe God is enough for you?
As I write this, I am still trying to fully grasp this concept in my own life. God is opening doors for me to share my story and my faith with people and I am nervous that I won't know what to say. I get tongue-tied and break out in hives. I worry about what people will think of me and what I have to say. I worry about people judging me for my past and where I have been. The problem with all of those statements is the word, "I". When we start worrying about everything and everyone around us it is because our focus is off of Jesus and on ourselves. When our eyes are focused on Jesus, we don't see the things around us, we only see His face and His hands reaching out to give us exactly what we need.
I choose today to believe that God is enough for me. I believe He will give me enough knowledge of His Word to know what to say. I believe He will give me the words to speak and I believe He will give me the strength and courage to step up and step out for His glory. Will you join me?
What would you try if you knew you couldn't fail? Is it sharing your faith with someone? Is it starting a Bible study? Is it inviting a friend to church? Whatever it is, God is faithful and He is enough to meet whatever needs you have. There is freedom in relying on Him to be enough. Check out Psalm 121 below and then listen to the song. Rest in the peace of knowing that our God gives us more than enough to do whatever He is asking us to do. God bless you friends!