We're never in the "fire" alone!

In life we will face trials of various sizes and importance. They range from “What will I do after graduation?” to “What will I do if my sister is never found?” Both come with an array of emotions and solutions. The first decade following Heidi’s kidnapping was long and full of anger, frustration, resentment, and depression. I chose to let the heat get to me and I nearly burned up.

I struggled and did the best I could. I learned how to put on a happy face and thought I was enjoying life until the God used a child to let me know what was missing, Jesus. I chose to live my life in the world’s fiery furnace of tragedy and despair but Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were bound and thrown into King Nebuchadnezzar’s blazing furnace for living the life God called them to.

King Nebuchadnezzar’s response, “…the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.”

We have a choice, we can face life’s trials and tribulations on our own and be burned up in the fire, along with those that put us there or we can trust God.

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”…”

When we trust Him, we are NEVER alone!

“He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.”

Life still brings me trials. These trials make me stronger. It is only through my relationship with Jesus that I have the strength, wisdom, and desire to endure. Psalm 23 says we go “through” the valley, as long as we travel through the valley with Him – we will make it to the other side. We might smell of smoke yet we will survive and it is what we do next that makes the difference.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

As I praise, trust, serve, and worship God through my writing and speaking…I pray to have the strength and faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Trials are survivable with Jesus.

Today’s Scriptures are excerpts (in italics) are from Daniel 3, NIV.

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Theses have come so that your faith --
of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire --  may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV