The world is tough, and life is hard. Nobody has done anything great without going through great adversity.
If you look at any hero or world-changer’s story; you can find at least one moment in their life where they faced a major struggle that propelled them into becoming the person we now know.
We all face storms and difficult people; what we do and how we act in those moments dictate whether we become heroes, victims, or villains.
Daniel was a Jewish exile who was taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. Despite being forced to serve in the Babylonian court, Daniel remained faithful to his Jewish faith and God, and because of his unwavering faith, God allowed him to interpret dreams and visions, which often led him to positions of power and influence in the Babylonian court.
But when King Nebuchadnezzar built a golden state for himself and decreed that everyone must worship it, Daniel refused because he would only worship God.
Because of this, the king had Daniel thrown into a den of lions as punishment. Daniel had to spend an entire night in a pit with lions, but he went completely unharmed. Daniel spent the night praying to God, and because he trusted God and maintained his faith, God sent an angel into the den to protect him and he was rescued from the den the next morning.
This miraculous event convinced King Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the power of Daniel's God and to decree that Daniel's God should be worshiped throughout the Babylonian kingdom.
When you are stuck in The Pit or have to face lions, what do you do? Do you panic or do you pray?
The next time you are stuck, facing adversity, or have to deal with people who are or might be attacking you, pause, pray, and have faith that God will send angels to protect you.
When you pray, first express gratitude for God’s blessing and faithfulness. Then, pray for protection. Finally, express your trust in God's power and your belief that God will protect you and deliver you.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is your biggest takeaway from this story?
2 - What is something difficult or who is someone difficult that you have to face right now?
3 - What do you hope happens at the end of this difficult moment, situation, or interaction?
4 - How can you pray to God so that He helps you through this situation?
My Prayer
Dear, God. Thank you for all the blessings you have given me. You are the reason why I have made it this far, but I am going through something difficult, and I need your support. Can you please help me see what I need to see and do to make it through this the right way? Can you give me the words, strength, and mindset to do what I need to do and say when the time is right? Can you please help me have the discipline to continue doing what I need to do? I trust and believe that you are watching over me and will protect me and deliver me from this situation. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
For a printable PDF version of this post, click here: Daniel: Faith in the Lion's Den
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