What Are You Carrying Today?

Have you ever wondered why God asks us to do things that don't make sense?

Gideon sure did. Here's a guy who was hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat in secret, terrified of the Midianites who had been oppressing Israel for seven years. When the angel of the Lord appeared and called him a "mighty warrior," Gideon probably looked around to see who the angel was really talking to. He came from the weakest clan in Israel and felt completely inadequate for the task ahead.

But God had a plan. After Gideon finally agreed to lead Israel against their enemies, he gathered 32,000 men. A decent army, right? Wrong. God said that was too many. He whittled the army down to just 300 soldiers. And then came the really strange part. Instead of arming these men with swords and shields, God told Gideon to give each man a trumpet, an empty pitcher, and a torch to hide inside the pitcher.

Think about that for a minute. These men were about to face a massive enemy army, and they had to drop their weapons, their means of protection and offense, to carry items that offered zero physical defense. No swords. No shields. Just a trumpet in one hand and a clay pot in the other. That must have felt absolutely terrifying!

But here's what I've been pondering lately: What am I carrying in my own hands?

You see, I've discovered that my hands are often full, not with swords and shields, but with things just as useless when it comes to spiritual battles. I carry the "sword" of control, constantly trying to fix my circumstances, manipulate situations, or manage every outcome. I carry the "shield" of defensiveness, protecting my pride, justifying my actions, and hiding my weaknesses from others. And let me tell you, lugging all that stuff around is exhausting!

The problem is, I can't hold the light of God when my hands are full of my own expectations. I can't blow the trumpet of praise when my mouth is occupied with complaining. And I certainly can't reflect the character of Christ when I'm too busy defending myself and trying to control everything.

Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). To hold the light means that in the dark situations of life, whether it's a health battle, a family crisis, or chronic illness that makes daily life a struggle, I choose to carry Christ-like fruit instead of anger or bitterness. It means I'm willing to be vulnerable and honest about my dependence on God instead of pretending I've got it all together.

And that trumpet? That represents the sacrifice of praise. The Psalmist wrote, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). Gideon's army blew their trumpets before the enemy ran. They declared God's victory by faith before they saw it with their eyes. That's what it means to hold the trumpet--declaring what God can do, not what we fear might happen.

When Gideon's 300 men finally surrounded that enemy camp at night, they did exactly what God commanded. They broke their pitchers, held up their torches, blew their trumpets, and shouted, "The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon!" (Judges 7:20). The Midianites panicked and fled, turning on each other in confusion. God won the victory, and there was no doubt about who deserved the glory.

I'm learning—slowly, I'll admit—that God doesn't need my strength. He doesn't need me to have everything figured out. What He needs is for me to drop my weapons of self-sufficiency and pick up His light. He needs me to stop defending myself and start declaring His faithfulness. He needs me to trust that when I feel most vulnerable and inadequate, that's when He can shine the brightest through my broken places.

So what about you? What do you need to drop today to hold His light? Maybe it's the need to control your circumstances. Maybe it's the pride that keeps you from asking for help. Maybe it's the bitterness you've been nursing or the fear that's kept you paralyzed. Whatever it is, I encourage you to lay it down. Trade your useless weapons for God's light and His trumpet of praise.

After all, if God can win a battle with 300 men carrying nothing but lamps and trumpets, just imagine what He can do with a surrendered heart that's willing to let His light shine through the cracks.