filled with anxiety, wondering if I will have enough. Wondering if I am just subject to being trampled on and ruled over by this oppressive thing or that oppressive thing. Will I ever walk secure again? What work do I need to do to protect myself so that I am safe from hardship? When Gideon received this powerful word from God, we can see that it was the angel of the Lord who appeared, which is often attributed to Jesus himself being the One who came. Gideon was preparing to hide food from the Midianites. I wonder if Gideon, when questioning God’s presence in the Israelite’s suffering, was so accustomed to operating in fear that he confused the angel of the Lord for an encouraging stranger. I wonder how many times Jesus has revealed himself to me in the middle of my suffering, and I missed it because I was grumbling about my circumstance. Leaving me in a constant cycle of asking questions like Gideon - Doesn’t God see me in my suffering? Doesn’t God see me in my oppression? Doesn’t God witness all that I am facing and all of the work I have to do to protect myself? In the past year, as my suffering was both a consequence of my disobedience and oppression from the Enemy, I began to realize that peace was not attached to anything but God. Even now, after coming out of backto-back seasons of defeat, I am seeing more clearly that Jehovah Shalom himself is with me through every valley of darkness I may face.
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