I'm Scared To Adopt

There was a popular part of A.A. Milne’s book The House At Pooh Corner, that said:

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh!” he whispered. “Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.”

Have you ever felt that way with God? I just want to be sure of you? Maybe you’re experiencing some timidity as you think about doing something that you feel God has called you to do. Maybe you’re flat out scared of what might happen if you do it. I’ll share a little of my experience in a minute but let me encourage you first by thinking about how God called Moses and Gideon—these are very similar accounts.

In , God tells Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt

Moses and Gideon. If you look at to read about God calling Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt, it’s nearly identical to Gideon.

V.11--Moses: who am I that should do that?

V.12— God: I’ll be with you.

Now think about Gideon. It’s nearly the same script in — God: go deliver Israel.

Then after that, Moses turns from doubt about God to doubting himself.

v.10 Moses: I can’t speak.

God: Who made your mouth? I’ll be even more gracious though and send Aaron, your brother with you, as if I’m not enough.

— God: go deliver Israel.

Now think about Gideon. It’s nearly the same script:

— God: go deliver Israel.

v.15—Gideon: Who am I? I’m weak.

v.16—God: I’ll be with you

Later in is the popular account of Gideon’s fleece. That account begins in v.36, and it is there we really see the timidity of Gideon. He said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hands as you have said...”

“If…” Where did that come from? He had just torn down false idols in the land and assembled a great number of troops for battle as the Lord has said.

Maybe deep down inside of you there is fear, insecurity, about stepping out in obedience to the Lord. Maybe its not seen from the outside, but when the situation gets tough, it rises to the surface.

You have to see God’s grace in this passage. With Gideon, God could have easily said are you serious? Ok, I’m moving on to the next person. If you’re timid in serving the Lord, be encouraged that there is grace. God is patient.

Gideon was struggling, but God didn’t condemn him for it, but gave him what he needed. Take comfort in that if you feel timid. In , there are 2 Reminders For Finding Victory Over Timidity:

You are empowered by the Holy Spirit (v.34). The Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon. And if you believe in Jesus Christ, you have the HS living in you.

v.19—God: You wait and see what I cook up… put it on the stone and put the broth on it, and I’ll light it on fire from the rock and consume your meat and bread.

You have the truth of God to guide you (36). Gideon even recognized in v.36 that the Lord had said that Gideon would deliver Israel. God already said it. You and I have God’s Word today and we can trust it. If we feel him moving us in a certain direction that is in according with His Word, then we can trust that His Word is true and we can believe His promises to us and His leadership through His HS.

Then Gideon builds the altar to the Lord is Peace, and the Lord gives

This episode is titled I’m scared to adopt. You could change this title to whatever you fear right now and still find it beneficial. But maybe you can resonate with my experience though. I felt the Lord leading me to adopt children in the summer of 2010. I immediately talked with Nikki and it was a mutual leadership of the Hs in us. We didn’t end up doing it until 6 years later, but in that process of researching, praying, and trying to figure out how to do it exactly, there was a fear.

You can run through all kind of what if situations. And I realized mainly that my battle with fear was more a battle with selfishness because all of the what ifs were basically situations that would be uncomfortable for me. Or involve some form of suffering for me. And it seemed like everybody we talked to just had to share their best horror story of adoption—whether it was theirs or happened to someone they knew or just something they heard on NPR at some point.How’s that helping??!!

It helps to remember what we are told in :7

“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (, ESV)

That power comes from the leadership of the HS and the truth of God’s Word. Just when you say who am I that I should do that? God says, I’ll be with you.