Discouragement
The word “discouraged” does not appear in the Old Testament account of Gideon, the fifth judge of Israel (Judges 6:1-8:28). However, Gideon must have been discouraged. The neighboring people---the Midianites---raided their crops and possessions systematically. If an Israelite managed to grow anything to eat, he had to hide it from the pillaging neighbors.
Gideon was threshing wheat at a winepress to hide it from the lazy, thieving enemies. His family and other Israelite households were living in caves fearing for their lives and the lives of their children.
Suddenly, quietly an angel appeared and spoke to Gideon. The angel said, “Gideon, mighty warrior, the Lord is with you.”
“Please sir,” Gideon replied, “I am not a mighty warrior. If the Lord is with us, why are we in all this mess? Our fathers tell us the Lord delivered us from Egyptian slavery, but it seems He has abandoned us now to die in this God-forsaken desert.”
“Not so,” the angel replied, “God is planning for you to deliver your people.”
“Like I told you, I am not a mighty warrior. My tribe is the least of all the tribes, and I am the youngest in our family. I am the least of the least . . .”
Perhaps you are familiar with the rest of this story. In response to Gideon’s call to arms, thousands of men answered. “Hey, that’s pretty good,” God said, “But it’s too many.”
“Too many? Lord, have you counted the Midianites?” Before God was through, the army was reduced to three hundred soldiers armed with kitchen equipment and musical instruments. And just in case you do not know the rest of the story, Gideon and his tiny army chased their neighborhood troubles away.
If you are presently discouraged, you may think, “That story is thousands of years old and from the Old Testament no less.” It is common for the discouraged to resist rescue by saying, “My problem has no answer. I am sure the worst is going to happen.” Experience teaches us the worst seldom happens. And with God’s help, what we assumed would be the worst possible happening often results in good.
Oh, there is one thing in the story I did not mention. God told Gideon, “I will go with you.”
