I’ve been struggling with what to write these past couple weeks. Part of me just didn’t feel inspired—what should I talk about? What message do I want to share? Right now the world seems to be teetering on the edge of destruction, especially for those living in Ukraine. I pray daily for those who have been forced from their homes, who have fled in fear. I pray for those who have lost loved ones. I pray that God would help them, that he would save them. I will not say that I understand why horrible things are allowed to happen, but I do know that God is in control and all I have the power to do is to trust in who He is. Blind faith, you may say…not blind—but definitely faith when I am not able to see.

I am reminded of those three young men who faced down King Nebuchadnezzar. In the book of Daniel, chapter 3, we read of their faith against unprecedented pressure. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.  And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.  Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.  And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.  Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”

What power in the face of death! These three young Jewish men knew that God had the power to deliver them. They didn’t know if God would choose to save them in accordance with His will, but they trusted even as they faced death. They would not bow down to worship another god. They would only serve the one true God. They trusted even though they had no idea what the outcome would be.

I feel like that is where I am right now. I am trusting God, in the valley of the shadow of death. I will not allow the darkness of this world to steal from me that hope that I have in God’s almighty power. I cannot know how things will turn out and I cannot allow that uncertainty to take my focus off of His face! I must trust in the light that shines, despite the darkness that is pressing down upon the world.

I hope that this encourages you today, my friend. No matter what you are facing today, God is with you. You are not alone as you face down the fiery furnace! No matter the outcome-if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, God has marked you as His child. He will not abandon you in your hour of need. We are not meant to know His ways, but we are meant to trust in His love. Do that today—set aside your fear—and take up His strength and He will carry you out of the valley and to the top of the mountain!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)