The “comfort zone” can be the danger zone!

Scripture Read: Judges 7:2-3 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ “Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ ” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.

Application: As the Lord continues to build Gideon’s faith by taking away his comfort zone; we also can learn some very important truths about “real” faith. Remember, faith is simply “trusting belief”. It is NOT just belief! James makes it real clear that simple intellectual acceptance of something, as a reality is not good enough!

James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

It’s real easy to tell me that you believe that I can catch you if you fall; it is quite another thing for you to let yourself fall so I can catch you. God is always in the business of building real faith in us, not just head belief. When we accept the reality of something intellectually and then add trust from our heart to that reality…THAT is what real faith is! I try and live a life of good works because I love God, but I have absolutely no confidence in those works to win God’s favor or forgiveness. In my mind and heart, I know my works – even the most righteous – fall desperately short of God’s perfection. That is why I have placed my “trusting belief” in what Jesus did for me on the cross. He paid the debt of my sin and I have trusted in that and received His forgiveness. I am a child of God, not because of anything I did, but because of what He did and because I have believed in Him.

As God works with Gideon there are two things that stand out in this passage. First, the fact that God is serious about our ability to really trust Him. He makes it clear that if you cannot trust Him then go home! James sheds more light on how our Lord feels about “lip service only” when it comes to faith:

James 1:5–8 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

God does not mix words about this; yet, the second issue we need to see in this passage is the kindness and mercy of God. He is firm about His desire that people trust Him fully, however, He states no condemnation or harsh words toward those that are gripped by fear instead of controlled by faith. He simply tells them to return home. 

God…being God has every right to judge those that do not trust Him fully, yet He sympathizes with our weak flesh and does not judge. He weeds out, yes, but in His grace He only weeds out. No punishment, not even disappointment is shown. That does not mean He is done with those that went home. Perhaps, on another day and time, when God decided some of these have grown more in their faith, He would give them another chance to take a stand for Him. Clearly God desires “real faith”. However, His patience, grace and mercy also extend time to those of us that are weak. Father, thank You for Your unending kindness toward us and continue to create in us a faith that will honor You!

Meditation Questions: When was the last time God took you out of your comfort zone? What did you do? When you think of “real faith” what do you think of? How do you discern between intellectually believing and “real faith”? Do you see the difference when you BELIEVE God versus when you ALMOST believe God? What does that look like? If you were God and you wanted to grow the faith that you have right now, how would you do that? What does your answer show?