As written and presented by Mary Whelchel

PROGRAM D-6057

Have you noticed that often when you take a big step of faith and declare you are trusting God in a difficult situation, it seems to get worse instead of better? I can think of numerous times when I've gone before the Lord to declare my utter faith in his ability to deliver and totally committed a particular situation to his care. And then to my dismay, it appears to me that instead of honoring my faith and immediately changing my situation, the whole thing looks more hopeless than ever.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego went through that, too. They stood up to King Nebuchadnezzar and said that even if he threw them into the fiery furnace, they would not worship his golden image and thereby deny their God. They told the king that without doubt their God could and would deliver them. And they stuck their necks out and declared for the whole world to hear that they would trust in God.

And what happens? The king ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. What do you think went through their minds as they watched the temperature rising on this furnace? Wait a minute, Lord. Did you forget the game plan? Have you lost control? Are you trying to make a fool out of us? Didn't you hear what we said to the King? Aren't you going to do what we told you to do?

When we've made a step of faith, we can expect that faith to be tested. God wants to know if we're just trying to pull his strings and get our way by sounding spiritual, or if we really mean to trust him. He wants us to learn that trusting him means he's in control, not us. That kind of faith has to be tested.

But when it is tested, and we come out on the other side, the marvelous lessons we've learned and the growth we've made are very valuable. Those are the things you never forget. Those are the moments in your Christian walk where you look back and say, 'It was at that point that I took a giant step forward in my faith.'

Today you may be facing a situation where your trust in God almost seems misplaced, because your furnace is heating up instead of getting better. Remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and hang in there. Read Daniel 3 and ask God to give you that kind of sticking ability, so that you will not shrink from the test which faces you, but you will come out as gold that has been refined.

In Mary’s book "Looking with Forever Eyes" she shows readers how to view their circumstances from God’s perspective. Call the ministry at 1-800-292-1218 or go online to www.christianworkingwoman.org to order.

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