Trusting God Through the Fires of Life
What happens when we trust God through the fire?
1. God walks through the fire with me
Daniel 3:24-25…
Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?” “Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king. He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
God said, “I will never leave you or abandon you.” Jesus said, “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Psalm 46:1 is a really good passage to remember, and maybe some of you need to hear this today: God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. You should circle that word always. God is always with you. And when the heat is on, he’s closer than you think or feel.
2. God can help me come out intact
Daniel 3:26-27…
Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God—come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.
God was on their side, and he made sure they came out of the furnace unharmed and unaffected. God has the power to take care of us. He’s on our side. And when we go through difficulties in this life, he’s able to protect our well-being. There might be a lesson to be learned or a characteristic to be strengthened in it. But the best thing that happens in these moments is that we draw closer to God.
3. It causes unbelievers to come to God
Nebuchadnezzar was impressed. Daniel 3:28…
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”
They trusted in God. And their loyalty to God once again turns Nebuchadnezzar’s attention to God. How you handle pain and how much you trust God through your pain or when you’re under pressure or when the heat is on in your life will most likely be your most powerful witness in your life. When the heat gets turned up in your life, I pray you’ll stand up because when you stand up, people take notice, and your actions could lead them to Christ.
There’s kind of a neat lesson from botany I wanna share with you here. In the northern United States and Canada, there’s a tree that grows called the Jack Pine Tree. The main way that it reproduces is through forest fires. There’s a resin in the cones that makes it so tight the seeds inside can’t get out on their own. But under fire and intense heat, the resin melts, the seeds drop out, and they germinate to create new generations of Jack Pine Trees. They grow only after they’ve been through the fire. Some of the greatest things that happen in life are gonna come out of the fires in our lives.
Well, let’s look at what happens in the rest of our story here in Daniel chapter 3. Nebuchadnezzar says in verse 29…
“Therefore I issue a decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump. For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.” Then the king rewarded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Once again, these guys remain loyal to God, and they get rewarded. I’m not saying that’s what’s gonna happen every time, but we do know that one day, God will reward us in heaven. Some of us may make it by the skin of our teeth. Others of us will pass with flying colors and receive incredible rewards.
So, let me ask you…
How are you investing your Christian life?
Are you remaining loyal to God?
Are you pointing others to Jesus?
Do you serve others with the love of Jesus?
Do you make a daily investment in God by spending some quiet time with him in the Bible and in prayer?
Have you made getting to worship services a priority?
Do you stand up for Jesus?
[Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.]