The Grasshopper Syndrome

30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."31But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." 32And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
Numbers 13:30-33 NKJV

As a person who struggles with a chronic illness that seems to take me from cane to walkers and back again regularly, occasionally I deal with something I call, "The Grasshopper Syndrome." Many have suffered from this ailment along life’s road. According to Scripture, the children of Israel had spies go out from among them to explore the Promised Land and after the spies reported back, they found themselves similarly afflicted with this "disease." The spies had ventured out to take a look at things and though the land was plenty with sustenance like they had never seen before, they were unable to truly see it. Why? Because they immediately focused on their enemy. The longer they looked at their opposition, the bigger they became. Soon their faith in the Jehovah Who had brought them out of the bondage of Egypt, was swallowed up. With it went their ability to believe that they could indeed conquer and possess the land. They were definitely suffering from "The Grasshopper Syndrome." They no longer saw themselves as mighty men of war or God’s chosen people, but instead referred to themselves as "grasshoppers."

Grasshoppers are fairly harmless little bugs that often get stepped on unless they quickly hop away. Israel’s confidence in God and in themselves as His children quickly evaporated. Strangely enough, they were quickly convinced that their opponents saw them just as they were seeing themselves and in that vein of thinking, they may have been right.

Let’s take my current situation for example. I have arthritis, spinal stenosis, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis. Just about every inch of my body is affected in some way. Some of these maladies can be very devastating because all balance is lost, and it is very difficult to remain steady on one foot. I can choose to call myself "a cripple," or I can instead say that I am "temporarily inconvenienced." I can say that I am "unable to do anything because of the tremendous obstacles," or I can say, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." Grasshoppers see everything around them as being bigger than them. The child of God sees God as being around everything, which makes every thing around them grow incredibly small.
When we act like a grasshopper, others see us that way. When we act like a faith-filled believer ready to conquer in Jesus’ Name, we are seen just that way. No matter how big that obstacle is in your life, the Holy Spirit—which is resident in you—is more powerful. Your Father in Heaven is bigger than any devil you will ever face. The King of Kings and Lord of Lord—in whose image you were created—is the same Almighty One Who lives in you.

Should you run into enemies today as you travel on towards your "Promised Land," remember the promises of God regardless of the giants. You are not a grasshopper…so don’t behave like one! Reflect His image as He brings you through to that place of rich fulfillment. You are destined for great things in God—do not settle for anything less.