- Judges 6:13 (NLT)

The next judge that we come to is Gideon. He lived during a really low point in Israel's history. Once again the Israelites strayed from God, and He allowed the Midianites to move in on their territory and plunder them. Nobody was more burdened by this than Gideon, who had heard all about Israel's glorious past—but couldn't help but conclude that the Lord had abandoned His people.

Then one day, God appeared to Gideon and greeted him by saying, "The Lord is with you." Gideon promptly vented, "If the Lord is really here, then why is Israel in such bad shape? What about the mighty works? Where are all the miracles?" Watch God's response:

Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!" (Judges 6:14 NLT)

What just happened? God knew Gideon had a tremendous burden for Israel's condition. He was bugged and he was bothered. He had a fire inside him, and the Lord tapped into that passion by calling him to be the solution to the very problem that burdened him.

God does the same thing today. Oftentimes, He'll cause our calling to coincide with what really bothers us. We see something in life that gets under our skin in a unique way. It sets a fire inside us that won't go out. Then we hear God's still small voice say, "Do you see that? I want you to do something about it!"

If you're confused about God's plan for your life, ask yourself what really bugs you. It's very possible that He wants to use you as He used Gideon.

Discuss, Dig, Decide:

Discuss and share with your group God's call to action in your life. What has God placed on your heart recently that is calling for your involvement? How can you make a difference in this situation or circumstance?

Dig into Judges 6:1-24. Why do you think Gideon asks this question in verse 13? Why did Gideon name the altar in verse 24? What difference did Gideon's faith make to all of Israel? What life lessons does this passage hold for us?

Decide as a group to share your concerns about your community. How could your group work through your local church to make a positive contribution to a particular neighborhood in need? Motivate and mobilize your group to get involved and take on the task.