God Sees You: Embracing Weakness in His Mission

Summary

The story of Gideon in Judges 6 offers a powerful reminder that God sees us, even when we feel hidden, weak, or afraid. After years of oppression and hardship, the Israelites cry out to God, and He responds by calling Gideon—a man hiding in a winepress, full of doubts and insecurities. Yet, God addresses him as “mighty hero” and assures him of His presence. This is not just Gideon’s story; it’s a reflection of how God sees each of us, not by our circumstances or our self-perception, but by the identity and purpose He has placed within us.

Throughout Scripture, God’s ability to see and know us is a recurring theme. From Nathaniel under the fig tree, to David in the womb, to Hagar in the wilderness, God’s gaze is intimate and personal. Hagar’s naming of God as “El Roi”—the God who sees me—captures the heart of this truth. No matter where we find ourselves, God is present, attentive, and inviting us into His story.

But God’s seeing is not passive. He calls us to join Him in His mission, just as He called Gideon. This mission isn’t reserved for the extraordinary or the fearless; it’s for those willing to say yes, even in their weakness. God doesn’t require us to be perfect or to have all the answers. He simply asks us to go with the strength we have, trusting that He will be with us.

Often, like Gideon, we long for big, unmistakable signs from God before we act. Yet, God frequently speaks in the quiet, gentle whisper rather than the dramatic. Learning to listen for God’s voice means cultivating practices like prayer, solitude, fasting, reading Scripture, rest, simplicity, and community. These practices help us tune out the noise and tune in to God’s leading.

Ultimately, the outcome of God’s mission does not rest on our shoulders. We are not the saviors—God is. Our role is to be faithful, to share the good news, to be light and salt, and to trust that God will use our small acts of obedience to weave a web of impact far beyond what we can see. Even when it feels scary or uncomfortable, God calls us to step out, knowing that He is with us and that He delights in using our weakness for His glory.

Key Takeaways

- God Sees You in Every Circumstance
No matter how hidden, afraid, or insignificant you may feel, God sees you fully. His gaze is not limited by your circumstances or your self-doubt. Like Gideon, Hagar, and David, you are known and valued by the God who sees beyond the surface and calls you by a new name and purpose. [03:35]

- God’s Invitation Is for the Weak and Insecure
God’s call is not reserved for the strong or the qualified. He invites those who feel least capable to join in His mission, seeing potential where we see limitation. Your insecurities do not disqualify you; in fact, God often calls out courage and strength from places of weakness, reminding you that His power is made perfect in your vulnerability. [08:39]

- The Whisper of God Is Often Quieter Than the Signs We Seek
While we may long for dramatic signs or clear answers, God often speaks in the gentle whisper. Cultivating a posture of listening through spiritual practices helps us discern His voice amid the noise. Don’t miss God’s leading by waiting only for the spectacular; He is present in the quiet moments, inviting you to trust and respond. [13:54]

- Faithfulness Is Found in Small Acts of Obedience
God does not require us to save the world or to have all the answers. Our role is to say yes to His invitation, to be light and salt in our everyday interactions, and to trust Him with the results. The impact of your faithfulness may ripple out in ways you never see, as God weaves your story into the lives of others. [18:33]

- Saying Yes to God’s Mission May Feel Scary, but He Is With You
Stepping into God’s calling often means facing discomfort, fear, or inadequacy. Yet, God’s presence and affirmation are enough. He calls you “mighty hero” not because of your strength, but because of His. When you say yes, even trembling, you participate in something beautiful and eternal, empowered by the God who is always with you. [24:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Israel’s Cycle of Forgetting and Oppression
[02:34] - Gideon Hiding and God’s Surprising Call
[03:35] - The God Who Sees: Gideon, Nathaniel, David, Hagar
[06:20] - El Roi: The God Who Sees Me
[07:07] - God’s Invitation to Join His Mission
[08:39] - What It Means to Be a Disciple
[10:05] - Gideon’s Doubts and God’s Signs
[12:29] - Seeking Signs vs. Hearing God’s Whisper
[13:54] - Spiritual Practices for Hearing God
[15:52] - The Role of Community in Discernment
[17:02] - God’s Power in Our Weakness: Gideon’s Army
[18:33] - Our Role: Faithfulness, Not Saving
[21:02] - Accepting God’s Invitation Despite Fear
[24:25] - Saying Yes in Weakness
[25:18] - Living as Disciples in Everyday Life
[26:11] - Communion and Responding to God’s Call

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The God Who Sees and Calls Us (Gideon, Judges 6)

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### Bible Reading

- Judges 6:1-16 (Gideon’s call and God’s presence in his weakness)
- Genesis 16:7-14 (Hagar names God “El Roi”—the God who sees me)
- 1 Kings 19:9-13 (Elijah hears God’s gentle whisper)

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### Observation Questions

1. In Judges 6, where do we find Gideon when the angel of the Lord appears to him, and what is he doing? How does God address him in that moment? [02:34]
2. What is significant about Hagar’s encounter with God in Genesis 16, and what name does she give to God? [06:20]
3. In 1 Kings 19, what are the different ways God’s presence is revealed to Elijah, and in which form does God finally speak to him? [13:23]
4. According to the sermon, what cycle do the Israelites repeat in the book of Judges? [02:34]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God calls Gideon “mighty hero” even though Gideon is hiding and feels weak? What does this say about how God sees us compared to how we see ourselves? [03:35]
2. Hagar’s story is one of being unseen and mistreated, yet she experiences God as “the God who sees me.” What does this reveal about God’s character and His attention to those who feel overlooked? [06:20]
3. The sermon mentions that God often speaks in a gentle whisper rather than dramatic signs. Why might God choose to speak quietly, and how does this challenge our expectations of hearing from Him? [13:54]
4. When God reduces Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300, what is He teaching Gideon and the Israelites about where victory and strength come from? [17:02]

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### Application Questions

1. Gideon was hiding in fear when God called him. Is there an area of your life where you feel hidden, weak, or afraid? How might God be calling you to step out in that area? [03:35]
2. Hagar named God “El Roi”—the God who sees me. When was a time you felt unseen or overlooked, and how did you experience (or long to experience) God’s presence in that moment? [06:20]
3. The sermon talked about longing for big signs from God but learning to listen for His gentle whisper. What are some “noisy” things in your life that make it hard to hear God? What is one spiritual practice (prayer, solitude, fasting, reading Scripture, rest, simplicity, community) you could try this week to help you listen? [13:54]
4. God’s invitation is for the weak and insecure, not just the strong or qualified. What insecurities or doubts do you have about joining God’s mission? How might God want to use those very weaknesses? [08:39]
5. The outcome of God’s mission doesn’t rest on our shoulders. Can you think of a “small act of obedience” you could take this week to be light and salt in your everyday life? Who might be impacted by your faithfulness, even if you never see the results? [18:33]
6. Saying yes to God’s mission can feel scary or uncomfortable. What is one “scary” or uncomfortable thing you sense God might be inviting you to do? What would it look like to trust that He is with you as you step out? [24:25]
7. The sermon described how our lives can create a “web” of impact as we share God’s love with others. Who is one person in your life you want to intentionally encourage or share God’s love with this week? How will you do it? [18:33]

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for courage to say “yes” to God’s invitation, even in weakness, and to trust that He sees and is with each person in every circumstance.

Devotional

Day 1: God Sees You, Even in Your Hiding Places
No matter where you find yourself—whether in a place of fear, insecurity, or hiding—God sees you fully. Just as He saw Gideon hiding in a winepress, David in the womb, Nathaniel under the fig tree, and Hagar in her distress, God sees every part of your story. He knows your doubts, your struggles, and your pain, and He calls you by name, not by your circumstances. You are never invisible to Him; He is the God who sees you, El Roi, and His presence is with you even in your lowest moments. [07:07]

Judges 6:11-12 (ESV)
"Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, 'The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.'"

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel unseen or overlooked, and how might you open your heart today to the truth that God sees and values you right where you are?


Day 2: God Invites You Into His Mission
God not only sees you, but He also calls you to join Him in His mission. Like Gideon, who was called to rescue Israel despite his doubts and weaknesses, and like the disciples who were sent to make disciples of all nations, you are invited to participate in sharing the good news of Jesus. This invitation is not about being perfect or having all the answers; it’s about being willing to follow Jesus and help others discover and rediscover His love. God’s mission is for everyone, and He promises to be with you as you step out in faith. [08:39]

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Reflection: Who in your life might God be inviting you to share His love with this week, and what is one step you can take to join in His mission today?


Day 3: God Calls You Beyond Your Insecurities
God sees beyond your weaknesses and insecurities and calls out the courage and strength He has placed within you. Gideon felt like the least in his family and doubted his ability, yet God called him a mighty hero and promised to be with him. God does not define you by your limitations but by His purpose for your life. Even when you feel unqualified or afraid, God equips and empowers you to do what He asks, reminding you that your identity is found in what He says about you, not in your own doubts. [10:05]

Judges 6:14-16 (ESV)
"And the Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?' And he said to him, 'Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.' And the Lord said to him, 'But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.'"

Reflection: What insecurity or fear is holding you back from saying yes to God’s calling, and how can you trust His voice over your own doubts today?


Day 4: God Often Speaks in the Quiet, Not Just the Signs
While we may long for big, unmistakable signs from God, He often speaks in gentle whispers and quiet moments. Like Elijah, who did not find God in the wind, earthquake, or fire but in a gentle whisper, we are invited to listen for God’s voice through practices like prayer, solitude, fasting, reading Scripture, rest, simplicity, and community. God is always speaking, but we must quiet the noise and tune our hearts to hear Him, trusting that His guidance is present even when it’s not dramatic. [13:54]

1 Kings 19:11-12 (ESV)
"And he said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper."

Reflection: Which spiritual practice can you intentionally engage in today to quiet your heart and listen for God’s gentle whisper?


Day 5: God Is the Savior—You Are Called to Be Faithful
When you say yes to God’s invitation, remember that the outcome does not rest on your shoulders. Just as God reduced Gideon’s army to 300 so that the victory would clearly be His, God reminds us that He is the one who saves and transforms lives. Your role is to be faithful, to share, to love, and to be present; God does the saving. Every act of kindness, every conversation, and every step of obedience is part of a greater web of God’s work in the world. Trust that your faithfulness matters, even when you don’t see immediate results. [18:33]

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (ESV)
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to release the pressure to “save” or “fix” others, and how can you focus on simply being faithful to what God asks of you today?

Quotes

So Gideon's hiding in a hole in the ground, threshing wheat so that he can feed his family and make sure that the Medianites don't see him. And God arrives and God calls him Mighty hero. God sees Gideon in that hole. That's good news for us today, that no matter where you are in your life, no matter what's going on, no matter how you're hiding, God sees you. [00:03:26] (00:00:31 seconds) Edit Clip

And her encounter with God was so strong and so powerful that Hagar is the only person in the Bible to name God. Hagar said, you are the God who sees me. Have I truly seen the God who sees me? And Hagar calls God El Royi. We still use that today. The God who sees me. Isn't that beautiful? [00:06:01] (00:00:27 seconds) Edit Clip

And the God who saw Gideon, who saw David, who saw Nathaniel, and who saw Hagar. He also sees you sitting right here today in the theater in Davis, California. He sees your doubts. He sees your fears. He sees your insecurities and your struggles. And he's with you. [00:06:40] (00:00:24 seconds) Edit Clip

God sees us in our weakness and our insecurities, and he still calls us. He still calls us to go to be a part of his mission. He still invites us to join in with him, and it doesn't matter how we feel about ourselves, because he sees beyond what we see, and he sees who he created us to be. [00:09:45] (00:00:17 seconds) Edit Clip

And sometimes when we wait for that big sign from God, we miss the whisper. Because God is always speaking. He is always talking to us if we're listening. He is always speaking over us. And sometimes we miss it because we don't see a big sign. [00:13:45] (00:00:20 seconds) Edit Clip

And every single person we touch should have that experience from us. It should be love. It should be compassion. It should be kindness. And they might not decide just because they hung out with you for coffee that they want to follow Jesus, but they got a little glimpse of what Jesus is like. [00:20:17] (00:00:18 seconds) Edit Clip

Because I know that because I said yes in my weakness, like Gideon, God said, mighty hero, go. And Gideon's like, I'm not mighty. I'm not a teacher, right? And so maybe you're not, you can say that I'm not for yourself. But what is God saying you are? Because that's the truth, not what we say to ourselves is what God says we are. [00:24:43] (00:00:26 seconds) Edit Clip