Go, Set, Ready: Finding Strength When You Don’t Feel Prepared

We’ve all heard the phrase "Ready, Set, Go." It’s the natural order of things, right? You prepare, you get into position, and then you move. Whether it’s starting a new hobby or putting together a piece of furniture, we want all the tools laid out before we begin. Otherwise, we feel like a chicken with its head cut off, running around asking, "Where’s this? Where’s that?"

But life rarely follows that sequence.

Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of a race we never signed up for. You might be out for a light jog only to find yourself swept up in the crowd of the Boston Marathon. Suddenly, you're looking around at others who seem faster or more prepared, and the stress hits: I didn’t prepare for this. I’m not ready for this!

The Gideon Perspective

We see this "out of order" calling with Gideon in Judges 6. When we first see him, he isn’t standing on a mountaintop; he’s hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat in a place without wind. There was fear that the Midianites would steal it. He was playing it safe- he was hiding! And yet, the Angel of the Lord appears and calls him a "mighty warrior."

Can you imagine? If you were hiding in your house, worried about the state of the world and your family's safety and someone called you a "mighty warrior," you’d probably look behind you to see who they were talking to. Gideon did the same. He pointed to his limitations: "I’m from the smallest tribe, and I’m the least in my family."

But God wasn't looking at Gideon's current situation; He was looking at his calling.

Go in the Strength You Have

God’s response to Gideon’s insecurity is a lesson for us all: "Go in the strength you have."

He didn't give Gideon a suit of armor or supernatural muscles first. He told him to take a step. Gideon eventually took that step-first by preparing and offering a sacrifice, then by gathering others to join him and tearing down idols at night. He didn’t wait until he felt like a hero to act. He "went" and got "ready" along the way!

A Challenge for You: 14 Days of Encouragement

What is the struggle in your life right now? Is it in your job? Your family? Your faith? Instead of focusing on your limitations or the pedigree you think you lack, I want to challenge you to look at your strengths.

To help us all "go in the strength we have," I am starting a 14-Day Encouragement Challenge.

In our community, we often see each other as God sees us-even when we can't see it ourselves. I want us to spend the next two weeks being a voice of life for one another. Whether it’s sharing a "cup of positivitea," a photo that inspires you, or a simple word of life, let’s remind each other that we are "mighty warriors" in our own families and communities.

Journal Prompt:

What is one small step you can take today, even if you don't feel fully prepared? 

Don't wait until you feel "ready" to follow what God is calling you to do. Take the step. Go! You’ll find the strength-and the peace of Jehovah Shalom-along the way.