Adapting to Seemingly Negative Change

Daniel 1:17- "God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom..."

In context, what literature and wisdom was that? Pagan, Babylonian literature and wisdom! God allowed Daniel to go through a much less-than-ideal education system for His glory.

Daniel and his three friends went through a lifetime of massive changes in their first few years in captivity. Daniel chapter 1 shows us at least 7 of those changes. But Daniel and friends only stood up to one of those changes, and simply accepted and adapted to the rest. In fact, the entire book of Daniel only records three times that they ever rejected negative change.

Daniel didn't complain and protest the majority of the changes the Babylonians forced on his life. He only stood his ground when they asked him to do something directly against God's word.

And guess what? God blessed Daniel and his friends immensely for how they adapted to the changes in their life! God used the Babylonian captivity and all the paganism that they were forced to learn to bring about His work in the lives of those four boys. Daniel was only able to faithfully serve God as the king's trusted adviser for so many years because he didn't rage against all the seemingly negative change that was thrust upon his life in captivity.

Just because there is change occurring that we don't like, whether in our personal lives, with our friends, or in our nation, we don't always have to reject that change. Consternation, boycotts, and angry Facebook complaints about our government aren't always the answer.

Down here in the South, as soon as we see something we don't like, we want to secede from it. But God through Daniel is saying that sometimes we can't and we shouldn't. Unless we are specifically asked to do something that contradicts God's commands, maybe we should just accept the changes and learn to adapt to them as they come.

As usual, these ideas are not straight from my brain. Or at least the concepts behind them aren't. These are simply my thoughts on a sermon by Phil Carpenter at Lake Charles Bible Church. This blog is not for me to preach new revelation, because that is far beyond me. It is simply an avenue for me to get out my thoughts on a certain teaching. So I hope at least one person enjoys this post, and if not, I sure did.