SCRIPTURE:
“So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.”
Daniel 2:16
OBSERVATION:
Daniel was facing an impossible problem. King Nebuchadnezzar had demanded that his wise men not only interpret his dream but tell him what the dream was. When they could not, the king ordered that all the wise men in Babylon be destroyed, including Daniel and his friends.
Daniel could have reacted out of fear, anger, frustration, or even self-preservation. Instead, Daniel paused. He went to the king and asked for time. That pause was significant. Daniel did not immediately react to the pressure surrounding him. He created space to seek God.
APPLICATION:
Daniel's response reminds me that a pause can create space for God to speak. I want to become someone who responds instead of reacts.
When a problem arises, my first instinct is to act immediately. But I need to remember that urgency does not always require an immediate reaction. Sometimes the best thing I can do is take time, and heed the words once spoken to me by Pastor John, “pause, ponder and pray.”
Pause — Don't allow the emotion of the moment to make the decision.
Ponder — Take time to consider what is really happening instead of responding only to how I feel about what is happening.
Pray — Invite God into the situation and ask Him for wisdom, discernment, self-control, and the right words.
When I do this, my response becomes much more effective because it is no longer simply my response. I am giving God an opportunity to shape my words, my attitude, and my actions.
I also recognize that there is a difference between being right and being anointed. I can respond from pride and make my point perfectly, yet completely miss what God wants to accomplish through the situation. When problems come, I don't want my first question to be, “How do I fix this?” I want my first response to be, “God, what are You saying, and how do You want me to respond?”
PRAYER:
Jesus, help me to pause before I react, ponder before I speak, and pray before I act. Keep my emotions and pride from controlling my response. Give me Your wisdom, discernment, and self-control so that I respond in a way that honors You. Amen
