Day 2: Daniel Fast 12 Day Devotional
DAY 2: Pause and Pray then Pause and Praise
READING: Daniel Chapter 2
KEY VERSE
To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, for You have made known to us the king’s matter.
-Daniel 2:23
Often, we can respond like Nebudchadnezzar and demand instant answers from people instead of taking time to wait on revelation from God. I aspire to be more like Daniel when I hear bad news. His response when threatened was: hold on, we’re going to pause and pray and God is going to give us the answer.
The wise men of Babylon said the king’s request to both name his dream and give the interpretation was too difficult (Dan 2:11), but Daniel responded with discretion and discernment (Dan 2:14) and his request from the king was for time (Dan 2:16).
Unfortunately, I often find myself reacting in fight, flight, or “fix-it” mode. The last response is most common – my mind starts racing with possible solutions and how I can intervene with my own strength, smarts, and strategy.
But what if we commit to pause and seek the Lord instead? To take time and pray? If we really believe God has the answers to every mystery, then His response will be exactly what we need, one way or the other.
We also forget to PAUSE AGAIN after we receive our answer. Our tendency is to run on to the next thing, but Daniel’s response reminds us to pour out thanksgiving and praise to God.
Nobody likes to see a toddler throw a temper tantrum when they’re not getting their way. But it’s also frustrating to see them casually toss a gift to the side without showing gratitude. Our maturity is revealed not only in how we relate to God in challenging times, but also when we get what we want.
We can be entrusted with gifts, wisdom, and insight into mysteries when God can trust us to handle them appropriately. Daniel acknowledged where the wisdom would come from and praised Him who gave the revelation!
ADDITIONAL READING
Psalms 46:10
Acts 2:16-39
Ephesians 3:3
QUESTIONS
Would you respond like Daniel if someone came to you with tragic, threatening news?
Can you recall a time God gave you a supernatural solution to a dilemma you were facing?
Are you in the habit of giving God praise for great ideas, insights, and strategies you receive?
