Gideon's Cut.

Judges 7:2-7
2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3 Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6 Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
7 The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”

According the Bible, Midian was a very densely populated place, like a swarm of locusts. That didn't help Gideon and his army. They already thought that they were too small to be successful. Thus, they took advantage of an opportunity that was given for soldiers to leave; 22,000 of them left. Believe it or not, God told them to cut the army down even more. The Lord devised a creative plan. Those who lapped stayed and those knelt down to drink, were sent off. Not many people lap the water with their tongues, but the ones who did, they remained. This left only 300 men.

So, why was the army cut down significantly? It could have been a test of faith. After all, it didn't seem possible, but God always has sight of victory in the end. It may have been a lesson as well; to teach the men that success (as described in the remainder of Judges 7) was only possible because God was with them.

Do you think life is giving you unavoidable circumstances and impossible hurdles? Think about what you're dealing with now. Are you stressing or are you relying on God? Are you panicking or are you putting your faith in the Lord? Think about Gideon's victory and how you can apply it to what you're experiencing.

This summer I had a series about what God didn't promise. This is another reminder that God did NOT promise that life would be easy (See July 31 post). Contrast that with God's promise repeated throughout the Word: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Always take your issues to God and pray. Be honest. Open yourselves to be comforted by him. Wait for God to direct you. Finally, get prayers and support from your brothers and sisters in Christ.