Judges 6:13 [NKJV] emphasis
added
“Gideon said to Him [the angel], ‘O
my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And
where [are] all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not
the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and
delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”
What I call the Gideon Factor is blaming God for being born
in a specific station in life. This station is about the particulars of ourselves,
such as financial position, race, or physique – things that cause
strongholds of bitterness and resentment against God. Gideon did the same.
You notice how things passed from generation to generation
are primarily good things (i.e., the good old days). Gideon never mentioned the bad attitudes and sins his forefathers
committed and the results of their actions. The Midianites were oppressing the Israelites because of the sins of their forefathers.
How many believers live with a stronghold against God for
what they consider their misfortunes in life and feeling forsaken by God? This
stronghold has affected our lives and the lives of others, spreading bitterness
and resentment. Therefore, we must acknowledge the truth (good and bad) about
our situations and allow the Lord to deliver and heal us. Then, as we tell
others about our deliverance experience, the complete story, good and bad, must
be shared.
In this passage of Gideon’s encounter, it appears he did not
know or acknowledge the Lord’s commandments, laws, and statutes broken by the
Israelites. However, he only mentioned the miraculous exploits of God
delivering his people.
Like Gideon, we may not know what happened in the past that caused us to be where we are today. However, we can ask the Lord to deliver us from the stronghold of the whys. He wants to do greater things for us than answer the questions about our past, which cannot be changed. He is a future-changing God.
Judges 6:14 NKJV
“Then the LORD turned
to him and said, ‘Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the
hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?’”
The Lord’s answer in the above passage shows that He was not
concerned about Gideon’s past or life disappointments in Him. Instead, He wanted
to use Gideon to deliver His people from their enemy. When Gideon embraced God’s
plan for his future, he accomplished greatness despite questioning God.
Do you have bitterness and resentment against the Lord due
to circumstances and situations out of your control? The Lord is always
listening and planning a response to His people’s and others’ prayers. So, we
must release the past and follow Him into a future that requires our what He has put in us.