When your support-system seems small…

I knew it was coming. That nagging, sinking feeling in my stomach told me so.

My phone rang. I picked up my cell and saw her name. I took a deep breath. Kari, it’ll be ok. It’ll be ok.

“Hey there!”

I love her so much. I knew that it was a heart-wrenching decision for them, last summer, to not join us in this new church-planting venture. They had thought they would, but God was clearly leading them in a different direction.  Everything spiritual in me was cheering on their decision. I knew they had earnestly sought Him. I knew they were hearing from Him.  I knew this was best.

But everything fleshly in me wanted to crawl up in a ball on my bed and pull the covers over my head and cry about how alone I felt knowing my dear friend wouldn’t be at my side.

See, I knew sometimes we have to run alone. I knew that not all my close friends would be able to do this adventure with me. But somehow I had inadvertently still put my hope in a few people I saw as “strong,” as “capable.” Somehow the thought that they’d be with us made me feel like everything would be ok.  With this “dream team” of people surely this venture would be a success!

But then God dwindled my “dream team” and sent half of them somewhere else.

Just to be sure I knew the only dream team is the Triune God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. 

He’s done this before, right? You remember the story in Judges 7. Gideon–a scaredy cat like me–was called to battle, but first God took his army and sent a few of them home.

And by “a few” I mean 99%.

His team went from 32,000 to just 300.  Yes. God sent 99% of the army home, and defeated the Mideoanites with just 1% of Gideon’s original army.

Why?

So they would not boast saying, My own strength has saved me. (Judges 7:2)

So no one else would get the praise.

God wanted to make sure Gideon did not put his hope in numbers, in strong soldiers, in any certain person … except God alone. He dwindled down his army so small that the there was nowhere he could trust except God. So that when the victory came there would be no doubt: That was all God and He alone gets all the praise.

It’s easy to see this in retrospect, but what if we chose to believe by faith and trust Him in the middle of the dwindling process? When your team is cut in half. When most of your doctors don’t know what to do. When your support system has shrunk. When you look around and wonder where everyone went.

When whatever it was that made you feel “ok” isn’t there anymore. 

When God cuts your army by 99% you can rest assured, He’s just about to kick some tails on the battlefield and win a crazy victory. 

 He just wants to make sure that He alone gets all the praise. 

~

{Remembering this today.  Where are you feeling alone in the battle today? Does it feel like your support system is suddenly small? Please know that God wants to be your all and wants to be sure that in this battle He gets all the praise. I pray you know His power, love, and tender care for you today! Thanks for reading.}