There seems to be a stream of thought that says that if you believe in Jesus, then you won’t have any problems. That sounds great, but it isn’t Biblical. In fact Jesus said in John 16: “33 And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world!”[1]
The Scripture is full of stories of believers that have trouble. Caleb and Joshua were faithful to report that they could defeat the Canaanites, but because of the sin of the rest of the people, they, too, had to be in the desert for forty years. David was anointed to be king, but it took years of hiding and running from Saul before that became true. Our story of Daniel this week is also a story of suffering. True, Israel had been unfaithful to God for generations, but Daniel as a young, faithful follower had no control of that. Still, he and his friends were hauled off to exile. But often God works powerfully in our troubles. That is what Daniel and his friends experienced.
In this week’s story, Daniel’s friends stand up, literally, for their faith and are threatened with death. During this pandemic time, we may be experiencing suffering from loneliness, lack of income, and loss of a “normal” life. This is no surprise to God, but He is still with us and He has still conquered death and overcome sin for us. If our outlook is not good, our uplook is always good. Just as Daniel’s friends looked to the Lord for help, so can we.
To hear more about Daniel’s friends, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/series/daniel-a-man-of-character/trial-by-fire
[1] The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC.thePassionTranslation.com