Why does God allow hardships anyway? It’s often my question. It is often my complaint.

 

Judges 6:13a, 15

And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?”’ And He said to him, “please, LORD, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

 

Looking at Gideon’s encounter with God, we can see that only his ancestors had a personal encounter with God. He didn’t personally experience what was told to him by his ancestors. This causes doubt. Even more so as he looked at his country’s state. They were being enslaved by their enemies – the Midianites.

Like Gideon, we too tend to be doubtful of God when we face trials and difficulties. I’m guilty of this too!

Later on, God reassures Gideon’s doubts and even answers some of his inquiries. And despite everything Gideon thought of himself and everything, God still used him. And God even thought of him differently as a person! God saw Gideon for who he really was and supposed to be.

God is our creator. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He can use us even in the midst of hardships. He’ll grant us grace to accomplish great things.

 

Journal entry of Sept. 1, 2021