Reading Plan:
Daniel 1


Our Thoughts:
When you think about being “under pressure” what do you think about? Deadlines at work? Big presentations? Getting the house ready before the in-laws show up? Tense relationships? Bills that have to be paid? For me, the most pressure-filled season of life was definitely coaching 12-year-old Little League Baseball. Parents are ruthless! Whatever it is for you, I’m sure it is safe to say that we all face situations and circumstances that induce that crushing sense of anxiety and stress that we call pressure.

The question we face in life is not how to avoid pressure. I believe pressure is inevitable, even if it is entirely self-inflicted. The real question is, how will we respond in the face of those pressure-filled circumstances? Over the next several weeks we are going to look at some Biblical characters who endured some unimaginable circumstances to see what their stories can teach us about relieving the pressure before things explode.

Today we are going to start with the Old Testament story of Daniel. If you are unfamiliar with his story, Daniel was an Israelite living in Jerusalem when the foreign nation of Babylon was attacked. After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem, he rounded up all the strong and skilled Israelites that could be helpful to him and had them brought to Babylon. Daniel and his three friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah later referred to as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were among the group brought in to be servants of Nebuchadnezzar.

Take a look at Daniel 1:8. It says that Daniel “resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine that he drank.” At this moment Daniel is facing pressure to compromise his Jewish standards of faith and adapt to the new Babylonian culture he has been forced into. As easy as it would have been for Daniel to simply accept his circumstances, he knew that what he was being asked to eat and drink went against God’s commands. Remember Daniel is essentially a prisoner of war at this point. His life depended on him being healthy and productive for a foreign king. Daniel didn’t ask for any of this. He couldn’t control his circumstances, but he could control his response. Daniel’s response was to trust that God would faithfully provide, and because of his resolve to not compromise, verse 9 tells us that “God gave Daniel favor and compassion.”

You might not be able to control that deadline. Try all you want but the family is still coming over at the worst possible time for the holidays. You definitely didn’t ask for that diagnosis. Control is not the answer to your pressure problems, trust is. See all the ways God has been faithful in your life and trust that He is faithful now. You can’t control it, so trust God with it and resolve to be obedient today. One decision at a time.


More Questions:
• Where does resolve come from?
• When was the last time you found yourself torn between obeying God’s Word and going along with everyone? What, if anything, would you do differently today?


Prayer:
God, give us the strength and resolve to follow you today. We praise and thank you for your faithfulness, and we are trusting in You in the midst of all that we cannot control.


Author: Kyle Warren