Have you ever made a decision that ended up costing you so much?
At the point of making it, it was very simple and straight forward, but now, you have paid so much for it. You wish you knew. Maybe your simple decision was: Buying a car, Moving to a new house, Choice of degree, Changing jobs or Relationships
What happens when the one decision that has cost you a lot more than you thought or knew, was the decision to follow Christ? When you made it, they told you to say a simple prayer and you will be saved. Only to realize a lot later that this decision would end up costing you more than you ever thought! What happens when you feel like your choice to honor God made things worse instead of better!
What do we do in those moments when our faith (and this one decision to follow Christ) seems to cost us a lot more than we thought it would? What do we do when life seems to be going downhill because of the decision to honor God?
Daniel 3: 8 – 23 (NIV)
In chapter one, they had stood for their food choice. That was not enough. In chapter two, they had stood up to interpret a dream – asking for a night to figure things out, unsure of how it would turn out. Now, as if that was not enough – they needed to make a stand one more time. When is enough, enough? Can’t they have a day of peace?
What can we learn from Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego to help still our hearts when we are paying the cost of honoring God with our lives?
- God’s Glory Always
- God’s Sovereignty Always
It is this deep understanding of God that gave them the courage to do the right thing, even if it would cost them everything. To them, the fact that God got them out of the fire was simply a bonus. Even if they died, God would have received all the GLORY! They knew that whether or not God gave them what they wanted, so long as they had His Presence, it was enough. So long as they submitted to His agenda, it was enough! Whether they succeeded or failed, so long as they were where He wanted them to be, that was enough!
Listen to the assurance that we have from God:
Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.”
The verses say WHEN, not IF! Even if the physical consequences are less for us, the call to stand and to be faithful towards God as his people remains.