This was part of my devotions this morning, and I thought it was a great one to share!
From the Bible study Living Above the Level of mediocrity: By Charles Swindoll
Getting out of the Well of Discouragement
Five principles emerge in the account of Israel's deliverance that can serve as ropes to lift us from the depths of discouragement.
Openly Acknowledge What Caused Your Condition
Through an unnamed prophet, God gave Israel a direct answer regarding what had caused the nation to fall into the well:
"And I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.'" (Judges 6:10)
In a word: disobedience. But owning up to their sin, the Israelites took the first step toward climbing out of the well. However, not all who stumbled into that well were there because of disobedience. Gideon, for one, had followed the Lord and kept to the straight and narrow path of obedience. But doubts arose in his mind when he coultn reconcile his circumstances with his faith:
"Then Gideon said to [the Angel of the Lord], '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 abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.'" (Judges 6:13)
With a mandate of hope, the Lord began to dispel Gideon's doubts and discouragement:
"The Lord looked at him and said, ' Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?' He said to Him, 'O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house.' But the Lord said to him, 'Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man." (Judges 6:14-16)
Focus Directly on the Lord, not on the Odds against You
Responding with faith and committment, Gideon built an altar to dedicate himself to the task of delivering Israel:
"Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites." (Judges 6:24)
The next time we see Gideon, he is alone, outnumbered, and opposed -- in a discouraging situation--but standing firm, nevertheless. (Judges 6:33-35)
Declare Your Allegiance Publicly
When the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, Gideon summoned the troops with a trumpet call ( v.34). God honored his public declaration of allegiance, and the troops rallied behind him. Have you made it known to others where you stand? You may not always be met with acceptance and support, but the trumpet of your testimony must be sounded if you are to gain any degree of victory.
Remember that God Prefers to Work through a Remnant
God does His best work, it seems, when those who serve Him are fewer than those against Him. Note His rationale for paring down the troops to fight the Midianites:
"The Lord said to Gideon, 'The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying 'My own power has delivered me'. " (Judges 7:2)
Bolt by bolt, God radically cut the fabric of Israel's army until at last, only a 300 man swatch remained (Judges 7:3-8). In His divine stich work, God prefers working with remnants. The first church was led by a remnant of 12, and the Reformation was spearheaded by a scrap of pastors. Doubtless, the situaion you're in at school, at work, in your neighborhood, renders you a minority also; But remember, thats one of God's favorite ways to work. So be encouraged--you are in good company!
Do not Accept the Glory after God uses You
God used Gideon in a miraculous way to deliver Israel from the Midianites (v. 9-25). Victorious, the Israelites experienced not only peace, but prosperity as well. For the first time in years, they had roofs over their heads and food on their plates. To express their gratitude, they offered Gideon the monarchy:
"Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, 'Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son's son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian." ( Judges 8:22)
It would haev been so easy for the valiant warrior to ride the wave of his military success to the lush shores of fame and fortune. But examine his unselfish response:
"I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you: The Lord shall rule over you." (v.23)
A Concluding Application
At any given time, we are choosing to focus on one of four things: our circumstances, others, ourselves, or the Lord. When outnumbered, Gideon refused to focus on his circumstances. And when victorious against overwhelming odds, he refused to shine the spotlight on himself. Instead he gave the glory to the Lord. An eagle's eyes are amazingly keen. On a clear day, an eagle can spot a dead fish on the surface of a lake five miles away. That's focus! If we're ever to stand firm in the midst of discouragement, we have to develop spiritual eyesight with similar clarity and concentration--even if we're the only bird in the flock to have it.
Have you ever known such deep discouragement as the oppressed Israelites? Have you ever felt as if you were dropped into a well of insurmountable circumstances and left there to die? Maybe you're at the bottom of such a well right now.
Rather than have you name it, answer questions about it, or write a mini essay dealing with youre action plan to overcome this discouragement, we would humbly and softly suggest something else. Find a quiet , private place, and look up to the Lord, as the Israelites did, and cry out to HIm for help.
Unburden your heart to Him, sharing not just the particulars of your circumstances but how desperate, sad, angry, or disheartened you feel. Let His presence and care remind you that you are not alone in this.
"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From whence shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither sleep nor slumber." (Psalm 121:1-4)
Gideons are as scarce today as ever, but God still prizes people who stand firmly, focused on Him in the face of discouragement. He looks for people who will "stand in the gap" as He told the prophet Ezekiel,
"I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one." (Ezekiel 22:30)
Our world, too, stands perilously close to destruction. Wars sprout and hang on with all the noxious tenacity of weeds. The powerful few feed on the starving many to satisfy their greed and lust. There's corruptin, oppression, pollution, and persecution. Global warming could jsut as well refer to the heating up of hatred and burtal selfishness as much as anyhting else.
but we dont need to circle the globe to see we're in trouble, do we? The sphere of our own worlds holds enough evidence through the violence, heartbreak, and dispair we read about and know firsthand.
Could you be the Gideon for whom God searches? The one to stand in the gap in your family, school, business, neighborhood,city? What is it you think God would have you do to make an impact for the kingdom?
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