I tend to be a bit of a scaredy-cat when it comes to public situations. I am not one to do things alone and find comfort in someone else's courage. Due to my bilingual status I am often called upon to translate. My family and I lived in Mexico for many years and our church frequently hosted missionary groups from the States. Often on a Sunday morning the pastor would approach me right before the service and ask if I could translate the sermon. Because of my apparent inability to say, "no", and of course my love for the Lord and His people, I would spend the next half hour of worship trembling in my seat. With my knees shaking and my heart beating fast I would approach the platform praying, "Please, Lord, speak for me!" And every single time, He did. Many times, after translating, I was approached by someone telling me how the Lord had spoken to them that day — thanks to my translation! By allowing the Lord to use my voice, someone was drawing nearer to Him and in my fear and trembling, in my weakness, God became strong.

One of my favorite Bible passages is Judges 6, the story of Gideon. The Israelites had disobeyed God, so God removed His hand of protection and allowed them to be harassed by the Midianites. When they repented and cried out to God, He heard them and answered by sending an angel to Gideon telling him that God was going to use him to deliver Israel from their oppressors. But Gideon, too, was a bit of a scaredy-cat and was found hiding. Even still, God saw Gideon as a mighty warrior, a man of valor! God saw past Gideon's trembling and into his heart. Gideon's fear was keeping him from being the man God intended for him to be.

Our fears rob us of being who we were created to be and we become afraid of things that seem bigger than we are. But our fears are never bigger than God! When Gideon finally surrendered to the Lord's will for him, God used his weakness, his fear, and made him victorious. The enemy realized that they were no match for the God of Israel and the Lord was glorified that day. God's strength is perfect and if we can allow our heart to remember that, then in our weakness, in our fear and trembling, God makes us strong!

Suggested Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, you know my greatest fears and have already decided how you will be glorified through them. Help me to trust that you are always with me and to rely on your strength which is greater than anything I will encounter here. In Jesus' name, Amen.

1. Judges 6:12 (ESV).

Today's Encounter was written by: Veronica B.