What makes you feel better during hard times? Is it the hope that things will eventually improve within a set period of time? Does the hope of restoring what you have lost help you feel comforted? When someone loses a job, one of the common things said to bring solace is: ‘You will find more work somewhere else.’ When an individual loses a competition, it is often said ‘There is always next time’ to help keep their spirits up.
But, what if there was no hope of any of the material losses of this life ever being restored? What if there was not another job for the man who has become unemployed? What if there were no more competitions to enter to try to win? What if there were no more chances to have another child after a couple lost their only one? What if there were no more treatments available for the cancer patient? Would we still have a message of comfort and hope to offer?
Daniel found himself in a time of great loss. His homeland was destroyed. His chance of ever becoming a father was taken away from him. He would never marry, and his name was changed to honor a god other than the Lord Almighty. He would not enjoy family reunions, and leisurely evenings in Jerusalem the way he once did. All the motivational feel-good messages one could have offered were stripped of their power because they would not be based on reality – at least in Daniel’s circumstances. Yet, he still had the confidence in God to remain loyal and true (Daniel 1:8). Daniel was exalted to great positions of influence in an unholy land because of God’s care (Daniel 2). Even in his senior years, Daniel had the courage to keep worshipping God though he never enjoyed what we call “The American dream” (Daniel 6).
What did Daniel still have that could motivate him to keep going despite such tremendous loss and heartache? Daniel still walked with the Lord! The Lord cares for His people, but He does not always provide the same things. Job had things restored doubly. Joseph enjoyed a great family reunion. Yet, Daniel did not have the same end in his story. Even though his life was different than Job’s and Joseph’s, Daniel still found joy in the Lord.
Some of our deepest longings are: to have a family; have a good, secure job in order to pay the bills; to succeed in things for which we have worked diligently; to be able to care and protect our families; and to live a long, healthy life. These are very noble desires and dreams. But, they do not always come true for everyone. For all of us, there should be a longing deeper than all of these: the desire to walk with the Lord. We can lose all the rest, and still be able to walk with the Heavenly Father. David wrote, “Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8a, NIV).” Having the Lord is what brought Daniel comfort and hope. Even though he lost much, he never lost His relationship with God. When times are good or bad, what brings you joy, comfort, and hope? I pray that in all you enjoy, treasure, and prize, you value walking with the Lord the most. Having God with us is the blessing that trumps all others (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
James Jones
