Scripture

Daniel 6:16 ESV

Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”

Consider

When we find ourselves in a den of lions—trapped in a conflict with someone who hurts and betrays us, or even wants to take us down—then it’s good to remember that we belong to God.

To serve a sovereign God means that we believe God either ordains or permits every situation that comes into our lives. This includes the painful, the ugly, the frustrating, the heartbreaking. If we also believe that God loves and cares for us, then we can expect God to work something good from even the most difficult and painful situations.

Difficult people can trigger a selfish response in us before we even consider how God might want us to behave. Hurt or offended, we instinctively rush to protect ourselves and our interests. I may feel morally superior to the offending person and protest how he or she has failed me or disrespected my rights. I take satisfaction in pointing out the other person’s faults and the various ways I’ve been victimized. I may stubbornly hold out for an apology or restitution, or, worse, plot a course of revenge.

If, on the other hand, I quiet down and listen for the Spirit’s counsel, then I remember that I serve God first and trust God’s better way of handling conflict. God may remind me how often I have sinned and hurt others and been forgiven. Humility shifts my perception of my “lion’s den.” Instead of lamenting or raging against a hurtful circumstance, I can receive it in full confidence that God will make use of even this to bless me. Perhaps I need to learn a painful lesson about myself, or maybe God will use my frustration and despair to draw me into a deeper friendship and teach me more about trust and obedience. God might even plan to use my obedience to bless and heal the person with whom I’m in conflict—a concept probably beyond my comprehension when I am in the grip of my darkest emotions.

When we remember that we serve a loving, faithful, and sovereign God, we can trust that God is always looking out for our good. We can rely on his promise to never leave or forsake us but to be our refuge and strength, an ever-present help when we are in trouble.

Pray

Heavenly Father, teach me what it means to trust you as my Sovereign Lord. Help me to accept all circumstances of my life—including the challenges and conflicts—as gifts that you will put to good use as I learn to trust and follow you each day and in every relationship.

Reflect

Deuteronomy 31:6; Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 13:6

Ponder

What lions do I face today? How might the Spirit counsel me to respond?