Many times we can so easily prefer to take the easy road in life, and yet we can look at the fruit of somone else's faith and wish that we were so blessed ourselves. The truth is that God will often allow us to endure certain circumstances, not because He doesn't think we'll make it through, but because He wants us to forge that victory as part of His Kingdom.
One excellent example of this is in the life of the three Hebrew boys in the book of Daniel. They were faced with an enormous challenge to their faith, and instead of wishing that God would back them up, they excercised their own faith in God, and then God delivered them.
This is the result:
Daniel 3:28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
The result of the three Hebrew boys' faith and trust in God was a king who saw the evidence of God through them. I am gripped by the phrase “and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”
What are you willing to give up for the things of God? What are you willing to lay down and put aside? Does God have your all?
As we said yesterday, many lose heart when God does not answer their prayers the way they want Him to. Sure it worked out for the three Hebrews but they had no guarantee and they had not read the end of their story! They truly were willing to give up their lives rather than compromise their integrity with God. The result was an incredible testimony for God.
It is possible that in your situation God’s intention is a greater testimony by not answering your prayers the way you want. This can only happen if we trust Him enough to respond God-ward ‘even if He does not’ as the Hebrews said. Is He able? Yes. Is He willing? Yes. But He knows best.
You and I can have a powerful testimony regardless of the outcome.
