Is there something you’ve been asking God to change for a long time?

A relationship that still hurts.

A prayer that still seems unanswered.

A loss you never wanted.

A diagnosis you wish had been different.

Or perhaps someone sinned against you, and while you’re still dealing with the consequences, that person seems to be going happily on with life.

You know God is sovereign.

You know Romans 8.28.

You know you’re supposed to trust Him.

But sometimes knowing those truths and resting in them are two very different things.

Daniel found himself in circumstances he never chose and could not control. He was taken from his homeland, carried into a pagan culture, pressured to compromise, and eventually threatened with death.

Yet God was doing far more through those circumstances than Daniel could have seen at the beginning.

Could the same be true of the situation you’re struggling with today?

And what if the good God is accomplishing isn’t limited to changing your circumstances?

What if He is also changing you?

Welcome to “God’s Word Day by Day,” where I blog through the Bible in a Year. I hope you’ll join me every day. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here or subscribe and watch on YouTube.

Today’s Readings:

Daniel 1 & 2
Psalm 135.15-21
Proverbs 29.10
1 Peter 5.1-14

Can You Trust God When He Doesn’t Change Your Circumstances?

Daniel 1 & 2:

Daniel’s Influence

As we start the book of Daniel, it’s helpful to remember that many of the prophetic books overlap one another time-wise. Daniel was a contemporary of Ezekiel, so this book goes back to the beginning of the Babylonian conquest when he was taken to Babylon along with other intelligent, handsome young men. They were to be brainwashed through education and exposure to rich living so they would be useful to the leadership in Babylon, possibly to help with the other Jews who would later be brought there in larger numbers.

Instead, because of his character, God would use Daniel to influence two pagan kingdoms. Though he faced the temptation to compromise his beliefs (Dan. 1.5-8, 6.6-7) even under the threat of death (Dan. 2.12-13, 6.6-7), he stayed faithful to God. And just as He did with Joseph and others, God would use Daniel’s personal circumstances and his responses to them to alter the course of history.

What a great example of God using “all things,” even an unsaved king and unfair, undeserved circumstances, for good (Rom. 8.28).

When We’re Struggling to Trust God

I don’t know if Daniel ever struggled to trust God in his difficulties. The Bible doesn’t indicate that he did, but perhaps there were moments. What we do know is that he didn’t rely on his own strength or wisdom. He prayed continually for God’s help (Dan. 6.10). And through it all, Daniel gave the glory to God (Dan. 2.28-30).

But what about you? Are you faced with some hardship? Maybe someone has sinned against you in grievous ways? Maybe you have received an unwanted medical diagnosis or lost someone close to you. Whatever it is, life has gotten hard, and you’re struggling to trust God.

What can help you and me in those difficult times? What can we remember that Daniel understood?

Daniel knew that what God had promised, He would do (Dan. 9.1-2). But he didn’t take an oh-well-God-will-do-what-he’ll-do attitude; he prayed (Dan. 9.3) and allowed God to use him in the process.

If you’re a believer, God’s promises are true for you, too. And they’re true for me. He has a plan and a purpose in it all. There are ways He wants to use us. Maybe our lives won’t change the course of history as a whole. But our responses to the tests and trials we face may alter the course of someone’s individual life or eternal destiny.

What Possible Good!

Sometimes that seems unfair to us personally. We can be tempted to think, “That’s fine for someone else, but why do I have to suffer in the process?”

It’s important to remember that God is not limited in how many ways He can use a given circumstance for good. He does not merely use it for good in the lives of others; He is always using everything for good in our lives, as well (Rom. 8.28).

Maybe you’re thinking, “What possible good can come from this?!” I know I have.

We need to understand that God’s love isn’t a pampering love. It’s a purifying love. His goal in our lives is to lovingly help us become conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8.29). He uses tests and trials for that purpose.

Developing the Fruit of the Spirit

Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to love God and love others (Matt. 22.37-40). When we face tests and trials, we become more sensitive and compassionate about the struggles others face. In short, we learn to love better, one characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5.22-23).

Remember, the goal is to become like Christ, who perfectly manifested all the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

As we wait on God to answer our prayers or work in our situation, we grow in patience. We grow in faithfulness as we learn to trust Him in our difficulties. And as we suffer the consequences of our own sinful behavior, we learn that kindness, gentleness, and self-control are better choices. So when we’re tempted to get discouraged in a trial, we might ask ourselves, “What part of the fruit of the Spirit might God be growing in me?”

But even when we don’t understand what God is doing, we can trust that He is using it for our ultimate good. Many times I’ve looked back and thought, “I didn’t like it at the time, but I’m so glad I went through _______. I wouldn’t be where I am in my relationship with Him without it!” I know many of you can say the same.

Today’s Other Readings:

Psalm 135.15-21:

God & God Alone

Daniel understood what the psalmist said in these verses: that heathen gods have no power—that God and God alone is to be praised, worshiped, and feared. As we read through the book of Daniel in the coming days, we’ll see that demonstrated in some amazing ways.

Proverbs 29.10:

Good for Evil or Evil for Good

The bloodthirsty hate the blameless, but the upright seek his well-being.

Even while being hated by godless men, true believers pray for and desire to see them come to the knowledge of God and be saved from an eternity in hell.

1 Peter 5.1-14:

Accepting God’s Gracious Work

Again and again, in Scripture, we see that one of the character qualities believers are called to develop is humility (1 Pet. 5.5-6). We think of humility as merely a lack of boasting, but humility is also the ability to trust God and be joyful in the midst of difficulty—that is, to humbly accept His gracious work in our lives. This is just one more way that God uses our trials for good.

Throughout history, men and women who have been mightily used by God have had to first submit themselves to God’s providential work in their lives. Daniel was carried off to Babylon and forced to leave his family and everything he knew. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused, imprisoned, and seemingly forgotten. Ruth lost her husband and was left to care for a bitter mother-in-law.

In what area of your life are you struggling to trust God? In what circumstances are you impatient for a change? Are you allowing that desire to drive you to your knees in humble obedience, or have you stiffened your neck in pride and anger?

… humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time … for He cares for you (v. 6).

Share your struggles and concerns in the comments section. I’d love to pray for you. And if you’re struggling to trust God and would like to read more on this subject, I’d like to recommend Jerry Bridges’ book Trusting God Even When Life Hurts.

Coming Up:

In the next few days, we’ll talk about false teachers, friendship, judgment, the Rapture and the Tribulation, and how blame-shifting leads to despair. We’ll also discuss the question, “Is the Bible enough in a complex world?”

I hope you’ll join us.

Get Ready for the Coming Year with a Plan for Your Bible Reading

The holidays are just around the corner, and the new year will be upon us before we know it. What will you do to make Bible reading an ongoing habit in the coming year? I want to encourage you to set a goal to read through the Bible again or for the first time. If you join me, I’ll take you through a plan that covers both the Old and New Testaments in about 30 minutes a day. You can read each day’s post or watch as I read through the passages on YouTube. Sign up so you don’t miss any of them. The emails can serve as gentle reminders to stay on track, and I believe you’ll benefit from the additional information I share and grow as you learn to apply God’s Word to your own life.

You can check out our YouTube channel here.

If this post spoke to you, I would love it if you would share it on your favorite social media platform.

Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥

 

Note about this post:

I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years.

A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”

I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.

Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)