Many times, we will find ourselves in situations in which we think, “What do I do now?” Often, these situations are out of our control and there is very little we can do to fix them. Sometimes, it is our own fault and we have sabotaged ourselves. Other times the situation is not of our own making. However, either way, creates a sense of anxiety and fear wondering what is going to happen now. God is still God in those times.
Most of the time, we want God to remove those situations from our lives. We want God to pull us out of the fire because it is hot and difficult to go through. Sometimes, we can wonder why God lets us go through those trials. Often times, it is for God to teach us something that we are too stubborn to learn any other way. There are other times, however, in which God uses those situations to have a powerful effect on the lives of others around us. Either way, when things are beyond your control, remember that God knows the answers to your why question and that he knows the master plan.
Consider Daniel Chapter 3, in which the Bible records the account of three godly Hebrew men who were set over the affairs of the province of Babylon. The Bible describes these young men as faithful men who were skilled and wise hearted, cunning in all knowledge, and understanding of scientific thought (Dan1:4). Yanked from their homes after Judah fell to the Babylonian empire in 597 B.C., Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were now servants to the Babylonian Empire relocated to the land of Shinar. There, they underwent intense indoctrination, given food, clothing, and education formulated to influence their manner of thinking. Their entire lives were upended, yet none of these situations were of their own making.
To compound the situation, they find themselves now leaders over the affairs in the province of Babylon. This was a post of honor and distinction. It came with some unwanted scrutiny drawing the jealous gaze of individuals intent on taking their position for themselves. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not pursue their positions but were appointed to them by the king himself due to their superior understanding and character. This did not stop the lustful ambition of others from designing plans to destroy the three Hebrews.
At that time, the King set up an image of gold and commanded that everyone worship the image when a piece of certain music would play directing men to worship the image. Those who refused to worship would be cast into a fiery furnace. Those that conspired against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, watched the three Hebrew men and found that they did not worship the image when the music played. They took this information to the king and informed him of the Hebrews’ insolence against his decree. This infuriated the king and he called for them to be brought before his throne. He questions them and gives them an ultimatum. He gives them the choice of worshipping the image he erected or be thrown into the fiery furnace.
Their response was unexpected and provoked the anger of the king. Daniel 3:16-18 records their answer “…we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
Not what he expected to hear, the king commands for the three men to be cast into a furnace that was heated seven times hotter than the normal temperature. As the three men are thrown in, the men assigned to cast them in were consumed by the heat of the furnace.
The king saw something, yet again, that he didn’t expect. He saw four men in the furnace and one is like unto the Son of God. Something else the king didn’t expect was that the three men would escape the furnace without the hint of ash on their clothing.
The king changed his position on the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and made a decree that their God was truly God. This happened because of all of the difficult situations that these three men when through. God used their difficulties in a powerful way. So, when you are going through difficulties, remember that God has a master plan and is doing something that you can’t see yet.
Three Things to Help When Life is Beyond My Control
1. God Knows You and Your Situation Perfectly – The king called God “the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.” It was evident that God knew these men and that He knew where they were when they were there and was able to show up exactly at the right moment to move in exactly the right way. God knows you and your situation just as perfectly. He will never be late to provide the help you need. He will see you through.
2. God Has a Master Plan – When going through difficulties, it is easy to ask the question why. God rarely answers that question until the end of the trial. However, comfort should be had in knowing that God has a master plan. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please God. God desires for you to walk in faith trusting him in your trial. These trials are the place of victory when we trust God and His Word!
3. God Will Minister to Others Too - Many times in the Bible, God will use the difficulties of one to be an example to many. By Paul going into prison in Philippi, the Philippian jailor was born again with his entire household. By Peter going to prison, the early church saw God answer their prayers in a miraculous way. The examples could go on and on. Remember that you are a living epistle that many people around you are reading. When you are going through the “Beyond My Control” moments of life, trust that God will use it to minister to others too.
The life of the king of Babylon had many ups and downs. However, in Daniel 3 the example of three Hebrew men who were faithful to their God, even when their lives were endangered, was a lifelong lesson. At the end of his life, King Nebuchadnezzar had a personal interaction with God. Daniel 4:37 reads “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.”