Backstory
In Daniel Chapter 6, King Darius had placed 3 men as administrators over 120 satraps that ruled throughout his kingdom. One of these men was Daniel. Daniel had distinguished himself with exceptional qualities so much so that King Darius was planning to set him over the whole kingdom.
This, of course, made the other administrators and the satraps jealous and they looked for ways to catch Daniel doing something corrupt or negligent. They couldn’t find anything and decided they’d never be able to so they schemed to use Daniel’s religion against him.
They went to King Darius and buttered him up. They said,
“The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.” Daniel 6:7
The king agreed and they advised the king to put it in writing so that it couldn’t be altered or repealed.
Sneaky. Sneaky.
Meanwhile, Daniel caught drift of what was going on, went home, kneeled down, and prayed. Window open, facing Jerusalem, as he did 3 times every day.
He was, as we know, caught in the act, apprehended, and thrown into the lions’ den to the great sorrow of the king. He survived, was lifted high, and in turn the name of God was proclaimed across the land.
30 day challenge
But here’s the thing.
This wasn’t a forever decree. This was just a little 30 day challenge. I’m sure the king enjoyed hearing his name praised and thought it would be a great month for him! Everyone could rally together and bow down to him and him alone.
However, this challenge was pretty serious, because if you didn’t follow along, you would be killed by lion.
What about me?
30 days……
I asked the question, “Could I go 30 days without speaking to God?”
My answer is simple. Ya. Yes. I think I could. And very likely I have. I tend to pray often now, but not always completely focused. Many times it’s just peppered throughout the day. If death was the penalty, I think I could probably go 30 days without prayer.
How many times have I gone 30 days without cracking open my Bible?
So many times. Especially in past years, before I started journaling. I could go long stretches without opening my physical Bible. I may see a verse of the day here or there or listen to the preacher speak about it on Sunday, but alone study time used to be difficult for me.
I have a feeling that if I was threatened with death for speaking to my God for the next 30 days, I may justify it in my mind. It’s not really that long. I’m sure God would understand.
How about you?
How hard would it be to go without God for 30 days?
Are you so passionate about Jesus that the thought of not speaking to Him for even one day might as well result in death because a day without Him isn’t worth living? Or has it been a while since you were in your Bible or knelt to have an extended conversation with Him?
Faith like Daniel
I want Daniel faith.
I want a kind of faith that is absolutely unshakable no matter the circumstance.
I want a kind of faith that can’t handle one day, let alone 30 days without God.
I want a kind of faith that isn’t afraid to pray with the windows wide open.
Steps to Having a Daniel faith
Every. single. Day.
The more you choose to pray and read your Bible, the more “addictive” it gets. You start hearing God’s voice in powerful ways. You begin to feel a closeness with Him that is indescribable. Leaving your Bible at home, even to get groceries, can be difficult, let along letting it sit for 30 days. Praying before speaking becomes second nature. Conversations become fluent and simplified.
This may seem ridiculous. But I’ve had these feelings. And maybe I am ridiculous. Ridiculously in love. Ridiculously crazy about His Word.
So, just do it. Open up your Bible. Find the time. (Sorry for this seemingly terrible advice that feels “unhelpful”.)
There’s no magic potion or easy pill you can take. You have to muster up the determination and will to draw closer to God and eventually, I promise, it will become second nature and difficult to not do.
Try journaling while you read your Bible.
Bible journaling has completely transformed my walk with God. I no longer read to get through the Bible, instead, I read to listen. I don’t try to consume a ton in a sitting, I focus on one page at a time, dwelling, digesting, and focusing on each word.
It’s become anything but “boring”. I know I used to find myself asleep on my pages when I would try to read at night or I could be off day-dreaming and realize it only after skimming through an entire page of my Bible.
Now, I get so excited to illustrate my Bible. I am forced to focus solely on the words and not what I’m making for supper because I have to use both sides of my brain in order to read words and think of images to draw. The colors and images help me memorize Scripture in ways I never imagined! Seriously, give it a try consistently for a couple months and be prepared to see your spiritual walk transform!
To learn more about journaling, check out A Guide to Bible Journaling for Beginners.
Get Bold
Stop hiding your relationship or only sharing your life with those at church. You don’t have to be a perfect, expert Christian to start sharing about what Jesus has done for you. You just need a heart that desires to share about the saving grace He offers.
We want to represent Jesus well in a society that is so confused.
So, share God’s Word, in the correct context, and share what He is doing in your life!
Share how prayer changed your outlook and attitude.
Share how a certain verse brought you peace in a time of chaos.
But most important, let your actions speak even louder than your words.
Show kindness and understanding to a world full of people searching for love.
Daniel didn’t fight back or spit on anyone when he was taken to the den of lions. He didn’t try and push his agenda or defend himself and ask to be treated differently because of his beliefs.
He let God do his defending.
He let God speak for him.
He showed kindness to the king and understanding that there was nothing the king could do.
Follow God’s Word
So, along with reading and praying, it’s important that we follow what God says. The Bible is far more than just a book. It tells us of His overwhelming love for us and desire for a relationship with us, along with what He expects from us as well.
He loves us so much that God sent His only son to die on our behalf so that we might have a direct relationship with Him.
But the relationship doesn’t start and stop there. Any healthy relationship requires effort on behalf of both parties.
Knowing what His Word says will help us navigate and understand how to handle the circumstances we come in contact with.
If Daniel didn’t know God’s law, He wouldn’t have known how to handle this situation. He wouldn’t have known what God had to say about worshipping anyone but Him.
He would rather have dealt with the wrath of the king than the wrath of God.
Trust
One of the most amazing things about Daniel is his ability to courageously trust. He doesn’t just trust, he trusts without any expectations.
This is different than believing and expecting God will do great things. When I say trust without expectations, I mean choosing to follow what God says to do, and trusting His plans over our own enough to let go and let God.
Whether God chose to save him or not, he and his buddies (Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego- See Daniel 3) all have amazing stories of trust without expectation.
Call to action
So, in order to have a faith like Daniel, we should get serious about our daily God time, get bold with our relationship with Him, follow His commands, and trust without selfish expectations.
Let’s not just read about this kind of faith in the Bible and admire it, let’s strive to obtain it! It starts with starting! Let’s take this 30 day challenge and flip it on it’s head. Take the next 30 days to worship only God. Not our phones, homes, work, family, money….. make a commitment to pray and read your Bible for 30 days straight! You can do it!
Bible Journaling Details
I used a Faber-Castell Pitt Pen size B(rush) for the lettering and Neocolor ii water-soluble crayons.
I started with pencil, then colored on the crayons. I wet them with a water brush to turn them into a watercolor type of medium. Once everything was dry, I used the brush pen to outline the window and write the lettering.
Click for more details on my Favorite supplies.
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Ben Kingsway says
My Sister, Beloved you have sent this to the Future.
Read this Piece and the Holy Spirit ministered to me
Wherever you are my Sister, I pray God will strengthening you more, I just finished praying for you
Stay Blessed
Regards
Kingsway