YASociety - the Book of DanielSample

Perspective, Pivot, Purpose

By Donna Riley

I wanted to begin with the end of this story. With King Nebuchadnezzar praising the glory and goodness of God. A man who, only a chapter before, had built a statue of a false God and had commanded that the whole city would bow down and worship it.

In Daniel 3:14-22 we read that three Godly men refused to bow down and were facing a fiery furnace, and ultimately an excruciating death. I believe the reason they were able to stand up against the king, and were so confident in God’s sovereignty, was because they possessed three key characteristics:

• A Hopeful Perspective
• The Ability to Pivot Well
• A Promised Purpose

A hopeful perspective is an honest assessment of our reality with faith, with hope, with certainty in God’s character.

If we’re honest, there is always an obstacle standing between our promise and what we possess. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego possessed a prideful king, but a promise of freedom. They saw the end, they knew God’s promise - they were hopeful and full of faith in God, and that changed their perspective.

Sometimes our reality looks like a fire, it looks like hurt and pain, impossible to overcome - but God promises that all things are possible with Him.

Their perspective did not rely on their reality but on the things of heaven and the promises of God. This is when we need to pivot well from “Why God”, to “What Now”.

So what do you do when all you see is fire - Pivot. You say, “God I can't see how I can survive this fire alone, so walk with me - teach me”. For our help doesn’t come from the things of earth but from the Maker of heavens and earth (Psalms 121).

As a bit of a control-freak who loves to-do lists, organizational charts and all things administration, when I face adversity or something that isn’t in my step-by-step plan for the year, I can often start to forget the promises that God gave me. When perspective is in danger of shifting - this is when you pivot towards God, and not back to comfort and safety of the world. Pivot to what God has called you to - because God has given us the ultimate promise, “I will bless you with a future filled with hope - a future of success, not suffering. You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers,” and this promise is our purpose that we hold onto".

Walk into that fire, even if you think it doesn’t matter, even when it doesn’t make sense. Cry out to Him saying “God this doesn’t make sense, but I will walk into the fire because You never go back on your promises and I believe in You, and I believe in your Word and the purpose of this trial."

Even if you don’t see progress, it doesn’t mean that your faith is weak or that God isn’t hearing your prayers - faith is doing something despite your reality, because you’ve been promised a purpose and a future. Even when the world tells you, you will burn in the fire, the fire will consume you, you get to pivot the narrative because of your perspective and His promise and say, my God is greater. And spoiler alert - HE IS! And the greatest part of His promises is that He is with us. He’s not sitting far away sending these promises down - he’s present in the promise. He’s present in your now, in the problem you’re facing, and in the promise you will possess. Although Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went into the fire as three faith-filled men, they were met by God, saved by God - and walked out of the fire because of God and the promise He gave them. God’s promise wasn’t solely for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We see in Daniel 4:3, Nebuchadnezzar, a man full of pride, now full of faith. An oppressed city, into a free city who not only knew the name of God but who knew Him and now worshipped Him.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you that your promises are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’. I pray you give us strength to see our situation from a different perspective, help us to trust your plan for our lives and draw closer to you in the trials we go through. We pray this in Your name, amen.