Free Indeed!

Scripture – Judges 6:27-29: ²⁷So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. ²⁸In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! ²⁹They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”

Reflection: Gideon was afraid. He was afraid of his family and other people in town. What would they think? What would they do? Still, he did what the Lord told him.

A big lesson I learned several years ago is that my feelings do not have to control my actions. Whether I’m angry, excited, sad, afraid – it’s still the same. I don’t have to act according to the way I feel. If I’m going to wait until I’m not afraid, for example, there are a lot of things I would never do.

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is leaning into my fear and doing what needs to be done in spite of it.

Lord, please continue to encourage me as this new year begins. Through whatever mean you choose – family, friends, your Holy Spirit – encourage me to serve you more fully. I’m sorry for the times I give in to fear, or whatever the feeling might be. Be my motivating force today in all I do. Thanks.