This week I got the following note from a Redland member after the first sermon in our study of the book of Daniel, “How to Survive and Thrive Amidst the Babylons of Life”. I share it with you in the hopes that it will help you in your own commitment to be a “Daniel.”

“I’d just had one of the worst weeks at work and it came at the end of two of the worst months. On Sunday, I was really feeling like I was heading for my own personal Babylon and things were looking hopeless. When I left work on Friday, I wasn’t sure if I was going to have a job on Monday. My boss had really been after me the past few months, seemingly blaming me for everything wrong in the company. He has criticized every move I made. Things have deteriorated so far at work that I have been looking around for another job—a place to jump to if the worst should happen. That’s how stressful it has been at work and it is starting to affect my home life, my social life and my spiritual life.

The last thing my boss said to me on Friday was that he wanted to talk to me Monday morning and that he wanted a complete review of everything I have been doing. ‘Complete,’ he said. I have seen those reviews before and they usually end with someone being let go. I was sweating all weekend about this, trying to plan what I would say and do. I wrote up a four-page defense of my actions. I was plotting and planning my attacks and counter attacks and the whole time trying to smile and act normal. I was a mess and I was coming apart. On Sunday, I was dreading going to church. I hadn’t slept well after being forced to work Saturday. Everything was just plodding along until it came time for the sermon. As I listened, I felt something begin to stir in me. I felt a tug at my heart and a feeling that I needed to pay attention…that this was for me. As we looked at Daniel and his calling I could sense there was something I was supposed to take away. I realized that my faith was under fire, not my character. I realized that I needed to ‘make a stand’ and not give in to fear and doubt. I understood anew that I serve a mighty, living God Who has a plan for me—a real plan, one that I can choose to be a part of or choose to be on the sidelines. I went home a different person. Monday morning I got up out of bed and said to myself several times to be sure I heard it, ‘I will make my stand here’ and then I drove to work—drove into Babylon.

I have to say I was amazed at the peace I felt and the confidence I had. I saw my boss in the hallway and before he could say anything I smiled, told him hello, and asked when we could meet. I think I caught him off guard, as if he was hoping I wouldn’t bring it up. He said he would call me when he was ready. He never called. Later that day I saw him in a few meetings and he was as nice as I have ever seen him. He was even on my side during some debates about policy changes. I was amazed and I felt a little excited to see God at work. To top it all off, during the managers meeting he stood up and announced to the group that he has decided to end his  mandatory weekend work rule starting in October! Where did that come from? See, this is not my battle, it is God’s and I enjoyed watching Him influence and maneuver the people around me all for His purposes, His pleasure, His will. I remembered how God had called Daniel into Babylon and how he would never leave and I wondered if God was calling me to stay and make a stand. This will take a lot of prayer and a special word for me to feel His leading here, but I make myself willing…willing to do His will, just like we talked about on Sunday.”

How’s your personal “Babylon” going? Are you just surviving—or like this individual—have you started to actually thrive?

Keep the SON in your eyes!