Tough Decisions

What is the “right” decision is the hardest one?

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

That was a tough decision. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were “among those who were chosen from Judah” (Daniel 1: 6). “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it… Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service”(Daniel 1: 1-5).

In the latter part of this story, King Nebuchadnezzar made a decree to the people under him to worship a golden image he has set up. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, being believers of the One, True, Almighty God, refused to bow down to the king’s god. Their decision lead them to be thrown into a blazing furnace by the king, which was heated seven times hotter than unusual and “so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers” (Daniel 3: 19 & 22). A miracle happened while they were inside the furnace–they were unbound and unharmed plus, God’s presence was among them (Daniel 3: 24-27). As a result to this obedience, king Nebuchadnezzar praised the God of the three young men and declared to his people to bow down unto Him.

The right decision may not always be the safest or the easiest one, at least in the short run. However, God will always do what is eternally right in your life, even though your decision might be a difficult one. When you obey, there’s a blessing that goes after it. It is blessings for obedience!. Now especially when you are a believer, we may be faced with a very difficult situation in our life where we are required of a drastic choice. What is that? It may be in our careers or in relationships. You may be in the thin line of compromising or choosing the easiest just like in the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for the fear of death (losing your job, losing a friend, etc.) but it is rest assured that along with us choosing God and His ways come great rewards (like the story). A far gratifying, satisfying and fulfilling result awaits for every obedience we do before God. Ask Him to give you peace and protection as you follow His will daily.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;… Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” Proverbs 3: 5,7

Source: One Year Mini for Women devotional book