1 Peter 1:6-7 says, - In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Over the past several weeks I have been preaching about Daniel's life. If your grew up going to Sunday School I'm sure you have heard the story of Daniel and the Lions' Den.
Daniel continued to pray to God even though the law said you could only pray to the king. As a result Daniel is thrown into the lions' den.
What were the limitations that made this seem so hopeless for Daniel?
* The Law of the day stated that a king's decree could never be revoked, not even by the king.
* There was a stone rolled over the entrance of the lions' den. And the king's seal place on that stone. This meant that if anyone tried to move the stone to free Daniel, they would be defying the king and their actions would be punishable by death.
Whatever lions’ den you may find yourself in, now or in the future, sooner or later you must come face to face with your human limitations.
You can read about this in Daniel 6.
Here we learn two very important truths that are meant by God to help you through the tests that you will inevitably face in life.
1. God’s Tests Are Often Designed to Confront You with the Reality of Your Own Human Limitations
Humanly speaking, Daniel’s situation was without hope.
Now you don’t have to be in a literal lions’ den to be confronted with the reality of your own limitations apart from God’s help.
Maybe you feel like you are facing some personal impossibilities. Maybe you are on the verge of giving up. No matter what you do, there just seems to be no way out. No hope for change.
The truth is that it is the most spiritually productive place you could ever be! You see, God brings you into the lions’ den because He loves you. He does so because he knows that it is only when you come to the end of yourself that you will ever be able to taste the joys of truly knowing His presence and power in your life. It is only in dying to yourself that you can come alive to God.
2. God’s Tests Are Often Designed to Lead You into Deeper Levels of Dependence on Him.
Throughout the Scriptures we learn that temptations and trials of life are to be responded to, not by running from them, or trying to avoid them, or trying to meet them in the power of our own abilities, but by drawing near to God in faith.
1 John 5:4 says, For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
So how then do we have Daniel’s faith? How do we face our lions and still trust in God?
Know God better and you will trust Him more.
Having great faith is not some mystical, magical thing. It comes by simply cultivating a vital, authentic relationship with Jesus in your daily Christian life.
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