I don’t know where people get this idea that Christians are supposed to have a perfect, easy life. Clearly, they’ve never read the Bible, or if they did they’ve had a severe memory lapse regarding the actual content of it.

Since the beginning of time, God’s people have struggled. Death, murder, adultery, incest, poverty, homelessness, war – you name it, it’s in the Bible. There’s no guise of a pretty life, packaged neatly, tied with a bow and delivered to them as soon as they acknowledge that God is God. Scripture is true to life as we know it all too well.

What knowing God does do for us, is change our perspective and reframe our minds.

You’re probably familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When we teach this to kids, we often focus on the fact that God saved these men from the fiery furnace into which they were thrown. Which, I mean let’s be real, IS a great reminder of God’s sovereign power and majesty.

But the part that stuck out to me today was this:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” — Daniel 3:16-18

The faith of these men astounded me. They were fully aware that God was great enough and powerful enough to save them from being engulfed in flames. Which is enough faith in and of itself.

But what really shows the character of their faith is that they knew that God might choose NOT to save them from it, but still would not worship Nebuchadnezzar’s gods. They still knew that God was good and that He was worthy of praise above everything else. They were willing to walk into that furnace whether they lived or died.

We all face fiery furnaces of our own from time to time. Maybe your fiery furnace is a medical diagnosis, the loss of a job or a loved one, or financial struggles on the horizon. Whatever it may be, we know that it’s inevitable; we will be thrown into it no matter what.

We have a choice on this side of it.

We can choose to let it wreck us and our attitude, be anxious, worried, or fearful, or crush our spirit.

OR

We can choose to know that God can rescue us from it and that even if He does not that He is still good and still worthy of our praise.

What fiery furnace are you facing? Will you trust that God is big enough to save you from it and trust Him even if he does not?

 

Give a listen to: Even If by Mercy Me