Faces on Faith: Feeling stuck in the lions’ den?
Recently I was recalling one of my favorite Bible stories about Daniel and how he handled being thrown into the lions’ den (2nd century B.C.) by King Darius. Here’s a quick summary from the book of Daniel, Chapter 6: Daniel loved God and prayed daily to the God of Israel, but his jealous rivals convinced King Darius to issue a decree that prayers should be made only to him. Anyone disobeying this decree was to be thrown into the lions’ den where survival was definitely uncertain. Eventually King Darius realized that this was an unjust decree but knew that the new law could not be altered. So Daniel was tossed into the den. Deeply distressed, as the king hurried to the den at daybreak to ask Daniel if his God had saved him, Daniel replied that God had sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths and that he had been preserved harmless.
Have you ever felt like you’d just landed in the middle of a lions’ den? It’s definitely been a challenge to deal with the many world crises that seem to be popping up these days. Between the pandemic that keeps changing its characteristics, to an economic crisis, from the lack of a reliable work force, to a challenge to our democracy, there seems to be no end to the difficulties we’re facing.
But let’s take a look at how Daniel dealt with the lions of his day. Daniel found himself facing similar challenges of fear, of limitation and an uncertain future. Doubt and discouragement fit in there, too. And how did he react as he faced his den of lions? The Bible records that he prayed to his God just as he had always done and trusted that God would take care of him. And we have something in common with Daniel, and that’s our love for God and our confidence in his love and protection for us.
So we, too, can replace fear with trust, exchange doubt for hope and give up discouragement for gratitude. These qualities of thought will strengthen us, shut the lions’ months, and turn what seem like 21st century lions into purring fluffy kittens.
Mary L. Miller is affiliated with the Sanibel Christian Science Church.