Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. (Judges 8:4)
My 9 month old is going through a sleep regression, therefore THIS mama-bear is up all night. I feel like I should be through this. I did all this when he was a newborn, 9 months later and I feel entitled to the sleep that I should be getting. Motherhood is exhausting. Life can be exhausting. Doing God’s will day in and out can be exhausting. Don’t fall prey to the lie that if you’re in God’s will then life should be seamless.
I found myself questioning, should I be doing anything at all with my extra time? Until, I was led to the story of Gideon. Gideon was commanded by God to attack the Midianites. He had clear direction from God. Yet, he was still “exhausted,” during the battle. Don’t be surprised my friends if you come up against opposition. Don’t be surprised if obedience is hard. Sometimes, when we are weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9) we assume that maybe we shouldn’t have attempted it in the first place. That’s the enemy. He plants doubts in those that are, “exhausted” and “tired.” I am sure that Gideon himself wondered why the victory was so hard to come by, especially when it was a direct order from God. Yet, in the end, victory was his, and Gideon and his small army of men overcame the Midianites. I’m also sure that when he pushed through the exhaustion that the reward was that much sweeter. You see, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) Pull up your boot straps, look to him for sustenance, and get ready for a page turner, ’cause the truth is, Kingdom work is exhausting.
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