“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12
We are busy people. It has been a strange phenomenon during this COVID season that even in the midst of a season that would seem to provide some relief to our busyness, for many of us, it’s just gotten worse! We still find ways to fill our days with productivity, meetings, and everything else that we need to get done. During this crisis, and many others in our lives, we continue to rush towards solutions and “fixing” over patience and prayer. However, as we saw in Daniel 10 this week, we’re invited into patient devotion while we wait on the Lord. But, if you are like me, I look at Daniel in Daniel 10 and ask the question as he sits for three weeks, “Well, shouldn’t you at least try and do something?”
While we might look at Daniel and want him to press into action, it’s worth noting that he does exactly what he should do! Instead of pressing into action, he patiently waits on the Lord and seeks after him with patient devotion. While going through the process and seeking after the Lord, eventually hears from God and gets his answer. Many times, while it may seem counterintuitive, the best thing we can do when we face trials of many kinds is to sit, fast, and wait patiently on the Lord. Is prayer and fasting your first response to a crisis? Honestly, it’s not usually mine! Many times, when a crisis hits, I want to rush towards solutions and try to find them before waiting on God to reveal the best path forward. Paul’s encouragement to us in Romans 12 encourages us in this mindset of patient devotion, the apostle says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12.
What is the challenge that you’re facing? We must train ourselves to respond like Daniel responds, with faithful and patient devotion. It is here that we may find God inviting us into deeper trust and knowledge of Him by way of patience and prayer. As Daniel did millennia ago, let us be patient in affliction but joyful in hope and faithful in prayer. Let’s be faithful in prayer and fasting as we seek God’s best for us. It may be the most significant thing that we do!
Pastor Seth Redden
High School Ministries