Gee, Thanks

Judges 7:4 KJV

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

When Gideon received the call of God to be a deliverer I can imagine he might have had some particular ideas what that would look like:

• Perhaps something like a kingdom
• Probably something like a hero
• Maybe he at least thought God would give him some helpers in the work

But when crunch time came and the Midianites were slated to be driven out, God told Gideon he had too many followers. God then told Gideon He would try these men for him a pare down the number to those God intended to be served with him. 

Maybe Gideon's first thought was that he didn't need this sort of help from God. Perhaps, if Gideon were among the Christians of today, he would have felt like he didn't want God doing him these kinds of favors. 

We tend to view blessings, additions and gifts as all coming from God while thinking of trials, hurdles and difficulties as always being of the devil. Truth be told too many of our so called blessings are of the devil and meant to distract us from the way while more of our troubles than we would think are from God and are meant to build us in our most holy faith. 

We can be quick to praise God for what we think is the hand of God in blessings and gifts. We should be as quick to thank God for those trials He does "for us" so that we might truly grow in faith and in our honoring of the Lord.