We get to hear from Pamela Polanco this week! Learn more about her on the contributor’s page if you would like.
Have you ever felt trapped in a situation where you are acutely aware of your human fragility? Perhaps it was a medical diagnosis, the loss of a dear one, or an attack from the enemy. In either scenario, you felt defeated, your faith was tested, and you were at the end of your rope (humanly speaking). These feelings make me think of Daniel’s perspective during one of the most difficult situations he faced in his life.
Perhaps your situation feels unfair. You are following God, so why must you must face such a trial? Well, Daniel was also following God. He didn’t bow down before the idol, but he was observing God’s command by doing so. God should’ve kept him from the burning furnace, right? Not exactly. According to Daniel, it didn’t have to be quite so.
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18).
I have been challenged by this passage many times. We can learn two things from Daniel’s response in this passage. First, it teaches me that I should never doubt God’s ability to deliver me out of a difficult situation. After all, we speak of the God of the universe, the giver and sustainer of life — The One who holds tomorrow. God is all-powerful to deliver us, and we must trust that. As believers, we can’t go through life doubting His might. No matter how difficult our situation is, God is still able.
A second thing I can see is that God doesn’t have to remove our difficulties. Can He change them if He desires to? Absolutely. Nevertheless, we must remember that God has a greater purpose for our life that isn’t limited to now. He is working things out for our good in the greater scheme of things. “But if” my circumstances don’t change, He is still worthy to be praised amid the fire. Thankfully, we have the consolation that He will be ever-present with us during difficulties.
Thus, we must not forget that if anyone can change our circumstances, then that’s God. If anyone will be present with us as we face the trials, then that’s God. No situation, as challenging as it might be, can escape His control. He might not deliver us from trouble, but He’ll walk alongside us as we face the unthinkable. We must pray and trust that God is working things out for the best (even if His idea of what’s best doesn’t match ours). We must rest assured that He will walk with us always.
“He is with me still,
He is with me still;
In the sunshine or the shadow,
He is with me still.”
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