The Courage To Start Again 3

<p>Wednesday 21st April&nbsp;</p> <p><br></p> <p>Courage to Start Again 3</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Finding the strength to start again is quite tough when one has been through a series of disappointments. It’s very demoralizing and saps our energy. However, without the courage to start again, it is impossible to progress.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Let read the book of Judges 6 :11-16 (GNB), 11Then the LORD's angel came to the village of Ophrah and sat under the oak tree that belonged to Joash, a man of the clan of Abiezer. His son Gideon was threshing some wheat secretly in a winepress, so that the Midianites would not see him. 12The LORD's angel appeared to him there and said, “The LORD is with you, brave and mighty man!”13 Gideon said to him, “If I may ask, sir, why has all this happened to us if the LORD is with us? What about all the wonderful things that our fathers told us the LORD used to do — how he brought them out of Egypt? The LORD has abandoned us and left us to the mercy of the Midianites.”14Then the LORD ordered him, “Go with all your great strength and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I myself am sending you.” 15Gideon replied, “But LORD, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least important member of my family.”16The LORD answered, “You can do it because I will help you. You will crush the Midianites as easily as if they were only one man.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Gideon’s life had been characterized by failure, fear, and frustration, Midianites had oppressed Israel for years and there seemed to be no end in sight. Even when God called him, he could not believe God. When God brought him the message of deliverance from Midianites, he had become so defeated and discouraged that he was totally skeptical. He doubted God, himself and even God ‘s ability in him.</p> <p><br></p> <p>“You become what you associate with”. This is a proven law of life.</p> <p><br></p> <p>God disregarded all of Gideon’s negative responses and kept speaking to him. As he stayed around God,