All in Adversity
When. Not if. Trouble will come.
Take heart, rather than take care. To take care is to wrap our trembling arms around the unseen weight of worry and fear of the future. To worry is to have a divided heart. One part claims to love and trust God, the other part functions in light of visible and temporary things and asks, “What if?” Our whole heart is able to act courageously.
While on a mission trip to California, our team spent one afternoon at the beach—an afternoon I’ll never forget. My best friend and I were swimming, when I suddenly realized I was caught in the current and unable to swim toward shore. No amount of effort on my part helped. My friend noticed my dilemma and began screaming for help. Immediately, a tall, strong guy on the mission team swam to me and began throwing me shoreward. He rescued me! Years later, we saw him and his family. The first thing he said to my girls was, “I saved your mother’s life!” He did, and I’m thankful!
Martin Luther used Psalm 46 to write his victorious hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” Luther faced numerous trials because of his belief that salvation is by grace through faith alone. It is said that when he grew discouraged, he would say to his friend and co-worker, “…let us sing the forty-sixth Psalm.” Luther wrote, “We sing this Psalm to the praise of God, because God is with us, and powerfully and miraculously preserves and defends His church and His word, against all fanatical spirits, against the gates of hell, against the implacable hatred of the devil, and against all the assaults of the world, the flesh, and sin.”
When David wrote these verses, many of the things he considered secure in his life were crumbling around him. He was pursued by an enemy and forced to flee from his home. He was separated from loved ones. He was separated from the temple and, therefore, from corporate worship of God. He faced desperate times of danger and uncertainty. He, who had bravely fought lions as a shepherd and defeated a giant as a young man, was now too familiar with fear as a companion.
It’s a key word in parenting. I even used it when reviewing a list of do’s and don’ts to teenage drivers—don’t speed, watch out for the other driver and, finally, be home on time!
Today, we conclude our look at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s faith journey. Yesterday, we left off with our faith heroes out of the furnace and without a trace of the flames. What happens as a result is nothing short of a miracle in verse 28,
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I’m surprised when God allows me to go through a difficult trial. If I am trying my best to follow, love, and serve Him with my whole heart, why would He allow this struggle? One day, the realization came to me; well, why not me? If God allowed His Son to endure the cross, what makes me special enough to receive an exemption from struggles?
Yesterday, we read about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith. They told Nebuchadnezzar they were not afraid of his threats of throwing them into the fiery furnace if they chose to not bow down to the golden statue. With such a display of their faith, we might hope that God would rescue them from even being thrown in to begin with, but that is not what happened.
I will never forget the beautiful lesson that came when I asked God to release me from a seemingly hopeless situation. About 4 years into a “No” from God, I came across Daniel 3 in my ladies’ Bible study. In this story, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue.
Have you ever experienced a situation that appeared hopeless - where darkness closes in, and the way out seems hidden? It might be that your shoulders feel the weight, and intense emotion crushes your chest. Do these feelings sound familiar? In response to some pretty serious persecution, Daniel and his friends most likely would answer with a resounding yes.
On my morning walk, I passed a neighbor walking the opposite direction. I greeted her and asked how she was doing. She paused and replied, “I’m making it.” I understood her response. Her life has become complicated because of her mother’s failing health.
She finished reading the book and declared, “It was a journey I didn’t like being on.” Using that statement to describe a book is no big deal. But for many of us, that statement describes a complicated life situation that we can do nothing about. Many of us are on journeys we don’t like.
We rounded the corner of the road that led to our church. As it came into view, I let our 5-year old granddaughter know we were almost there. “Does your church talk about God?” What an odd question for her to ask. “Yes,” I replied. Of course it does! Then she added, “We can’t talk about God at my school. We can only talk about God at church and at home.”
They’re back! There’s one. There’s another. Look over there. I see it too! The lightning bugs had returned to brighten the evening hours. The girls squealed with amazement at the sight, and my own mind went back to childhood days when we ran to catch them in Mason jars then marveled at the twinkling container.
In Spring when the Dogwood trees bloom, I think of Christ’s death and resurrection. This year I collected two trays of blossoms for drying in an attempt to hold on to their fleeting beauty and to extend my reflection on the amazing story.
Have I mentioned that I can’t read long passages without my eyes glazing over?
In fact, many times my eyes have glazed right over on just this one verse.
For instance, did you know that our struggle isn’t against people?
The nuisance of being stuck in the mud on a country dirt road is frightening if a tow truck is not around the corner. Wheels spinning, dirt and smoke billowing contribute to frustration. Cell phone in hand—whew! Help is on the way.
Last year was one of the most difficult years of my life while enduring ongoing and worsening health issues surrounding my beloved husband and brother. Several months before the medical journeys began, God led me to a Bible study on spiritual warfare. I tried to wiggle my way out of it, but my Savior knew I was on the threshold of experiencing new types of brokenness and vulnerability—new enemy territory.
How does God comfort His children? How does God comfort you? I imagine the answers to those questions are as varied as the life situations that bring the need for comforting! I experienced a very serious illness this past year and discovered that I consistently needed God’s comfort during the quiet of the night. I experienced few distractions to my physical and emotional suffering during those hours. It was just God and me—alone with my need for comfort. So, how did God ease my distress as I actively sought Him?
Days passed. The contractors appeared busy but had little to show for their activities. Measuring, surveying, leveling, digging and pouring cement consumed their time. They were laying a foundation, and the cement piers had to be deep and secure before the floors, walls, and ceiling went up.
