“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets” (Hebrews 11:32 KJV).
After God invited Gideon to approach the enemy encampment of the Midianites, the Biblical book of Judges records what happened next…
“…So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream.
The man said, ‘I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!’ His companion answered, ‘Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!’
When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, ‘Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!'” (Judges 7:11-15 NLT).
This portion of Scripture illustrates God’s grace and patience as He encouraged Gideon to face the seemingly insurmountable odds that lay before him. It also demonstrates how the Lord continued to support and reassure Gideon in the midst of his uncertainty. Those efforts helped transform Gideon from a frightened, reluctant farmer to a bold, confident man of God.
In fact, the Old Testament book of Psalms describes many similar attributes of God that serve to comfort and encourage us as we face the challenges of life. For instance…
“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15).
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Psalm 103:8).
“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy” (Psalm 145:8).
Thus, we have the Biblical encouragement to emulate these characteristics within our lives…
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:12-13 NLT).