Dan n' D'Lions

Some Christians think that being in "the good side of God" is going to make life easier.

Not exactly.


"Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy." (Daniel 6:4)

I guess sometimes--or most of the time, actually--standing up for God becomes nothing more than a motto, a catch phrase, tagline, or slogan.

"STAND UP FOR GOD!"

Truth be told, it is much easier said than done.

When people constantly pick on you because of your faith--make fun of you because you're "weird," don't invite you to parties and gimiks because they know you're just gonna say no because you're so K.J., don't sit beside you at lunch because you pray (duh), etc.--it's so hard to walk the Christian walk because it's like the whole world is trying to make you feel stupid. Worse, it can even make you back down and just hide away.

Daniel got bullied a lot because He was a follower of Christ. But though living for God in the midst of wickedness and unrighteousness was not  (and still is not and will never be) an easy ride, Daniel trusted God and did the right thing. And where did his faith take him?

TO THE LION'S DEN. :O

Oh, but wait! There's more!

Did the lions have him for lunch? Did he die?

NO.

Because of that same faith.

There are a lot of lions in our lives, roaring at us, looking like they're about to pounce any second, preying, chasing after us to satisfy their fleshly hunger. People say things that break our hearts into more pieces than a smashed-up glass jar can be broken into. People do things that hurt us and scar us for life, and we have to live with the pain and the awful, awful memories for most of our lives.

So how can the Bible say that it is a blessing to be persecuted for doing the right thing? James even tells us to consider it "pure joy"--meaning, be utterly glad and grateful because you are privileged--when you're facing trials (James 1:2-4).

You ask, "So... are we, like, supposed to be masochists who enjoy pain, even crave for it?"

Hmm. I don't know. It does sound kind of absurd if you put it that way.

But look at these verses:
"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (1 Thess. 5:18, NLT)
"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4)

And look at Job's life! I'm sure he never expected that those horrible things would happen to him. After all, he was totally devoted to God. And yet, God allowed him to be afflicted, and his suffering was so great. WHY? Well, Job told his wife, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2:10)

To put it bluntly, our life was never meant to be easy. NEVER. As in, not ever.

As followers of Christ, we will always be going against the natural (sinful) flow of the world (Eph. 6:12). We will always be struggling against evil--against what the world says is ok or normal or acceptable--for the cause of Christ. We need to stop thinking that God is just power-tripping and that's why we experience hard times. ABSOLUTELY NOT.

This is what Paul told the Philippians: "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ... Stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you." (Phil. 1:27-30, NIV) To the Ephesians, he said, "Put on the full armor of God."

In the battle against sin, against the world, our defense is our best offense...and that's FAITH. We don't need violence or anger; vengeance is the Lord's. And besides, as warriors on the side of righteousness, we already have the assurance that Satan is a defeated foe and that victory is ours through Christ (1 John 5:4,5). That's all the more reason to have faith and stand firm in it.

So the next time people pick on you and make fun of your faith, keep your head high, take a deep breath... and walk away with a smile. Don't get mad, and you definitely don't need to get "even." Remember, these are the ones that need Jesus the most. So treat them well--smack good deeds and kind words right to their faces, just like the old proverb says (Prov. 25:22). Sooner or later, they'll get tired. And remember that whatever you're going through, God sees and knows everything, and He never does power trips. He just wants us to realize that we can do everything and anything through Him who is our strength. Let the pain serve its purpose--to bring you closer to Him.

I like what surfer hottie and follower of Christ Bethany Hamilton (played by Anna Sophia Robb in Soul Surfer) said when she was about to start training again after her accident: "I don't need difficult. I just need possible." Or something like that. :P Bethany, Paul, Job and Daniel have one thing in common: an unwavering faith in the midst of suffering and hardship--faith in the One who is in control of everything. Do you have that, too? (Warning: A "Yes" entails a test of faith. Brace yourself!)