Recognizing Your Invisible MentorsIsampula

THE TESTING OF OUR WILLINGNESS

When you choose to embrace even the hardships in your life, instead of detaching your emotions and attaching regrets, you are able to overcome them more quickly and utilize them in retrospect as positive character builders. Your strength will not be expressed in outward harshness but in inward substance, supported by the revelation of who Christ is in your life and of who you are in Him. 

A significant story is found in the book of Daniel. Three Hebrew boys were captured by Babylonian invaders and brought to live under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. As part of breaking their will, their names were changed, and they were required to accept the Babylonian culture and diet imposed upon them.

While their circumstances presented hardship, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego chose to not lose hope or succumb to defeat. They did not surrender their will to those mandates but rather embraced the circumstances and consequences of their choices. Their faith in the true living God was tested to a new degree when they refused to bow to the favorite golden god of King Nebuchadnezzar. The penalty was death in the fiery furnace, which was made seven times hotter than usual for their punishment. 

They were willing to die for what they believed. That willingness came from understanding the why behind their purpose for living. Having a personal encounter with God and guarding the beliefs and traditions of their Hebrew culture silenced their fears and gave them courage. As they stood in the consuming fire of the furnace, Jesus was in the midst of them.

Jesus’ presence neutralized the effect of the flames. Not only were the men untouched, but even their clothes had no smell of fire.

The king himself acknowledged the existence of God and promoted them to positions of prominence and authority in the province of Babylon (Daniel 3:28-30).

Six principles of willingness, no matter the cost, are evident in the actions of these three brave Hebrew friends:

1. Willingness to embrace impossibilities
2. Willingness to face the fear
3. Willingness to speak out what they truly believed
4. Willingness to testify to the miracle
5. Willingness to serve in humility 
6. Willingness to live in the present moment 

The greatest miracles in your life are most likely to transpire while you are in the fire. The fire may try to bend your will, but it cannot break your spirit if you willingly embrace the trials, choosing to apply their lessons to your future decisions—not allowing them to remain as simply external impossible situations.