I nervously scanned my work emails to see if my employer responded to my written refusal to do something biblically unprincipled. Not seeing an email reply, I breathed a relieved sigh.
My mind swirled with an unrelenting question: Will I be terminated for refusing my employer’s repeated demands that violate my Christian morals?
Despite my what-if concerns, I sensed the Holy Spirit speaking: “Don’t be afraid. Your heavenly Father is with you.”
The promise of God’s presence calmed my heart like innumerable hearts throughout the ages, including Daniel’s, a godly Israelite exiled under Babylonian King Darius (Dn 6).
Maybe you’re facing a similar situation where you’ve been asked or tempted to do something Jesus wouldn’t do. Perhaps your family and friends encourage you to engage in activities that displease God.
How do you say ‘no,’ even if it costs you something valuable—employment, family unity, friendships? How do you obey God when it requires sacrifice?
Costly Obedience
God’s favor rested on Daniel, and he obtained a high-governing position in Babylon, even though he was a prisoner of war.
Lower-ranking, envious Babylonian officials knew Daniel only prayed to God. They plotted Daniel’s death and established a 30-day decree where citizens could only pray to King Darius or face death in the lions’ den (Dn 6:1–9).
Daniel responded to this decree with costly obedience.
“He went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously” (Dn 6:10 ESV).
Daniel refused to engage in human worship despite facing certain death. Rather than pleading with King Darius for his life, Daniel trusted God’s sovereign outcome regarding whether he lived or died.
In God’s divine will, King Darius threw Daniel into a den of ravenous lions. But God preserved Daniel’s life.
Daniel’s obedience illustrates three principles to help us obey God even when facing painful loss.
3 Principles to Help Us Obey God
#1 – Godly obedience lays down costly treasure.
Daniel was willing to lose his position as a high-ranking Babylonian official and even his mortal life to obey God.
Daniel’s identity, self-worth, and provision weren’t defined by his governing position but by his relationship with God.
Daniel’s reverence for and commitment to God overrode every other human desire. He recognized it doesn’t profit to gain the whole world just to lose his soul (Mk 8:36).
Daniel understood God gives us all we need for life and godliness (2 Pt 1:3).
Daniel’s costly obedience challenges us to willingly lay down our earthly “treasures.” No worldly treasure is more important than our relationship with our heavenly Father.
How can you grow in treasuring Jesus above all else?
#2 – Godly obedience faces adversity with courage.
Daniel was a man of steadfast prayer and faced persecution throughout his life, but these tests of faith built godly courage.
As a young exile, Daniel refused to eat foods that violated Jewish law (Dn 1:3–16).
God delivered Daniel from execution when King Nebuchadnezzar demanded his wise men, including Daniel, interpret his dream and tell the contents of it (Dn 2:1–3, 10–19).
Daniel witnessed God deliver his friends in a fiery furnace for refusing to bow down and worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue (Dn 3:4–27).
Daniel’s life demonstrates how godliness doesn’t exempt us from suffering, but practicing a life of obedience to God provides a foundation to face adversity with courage, not fear.
God uses small challenges as the spiritual gym to build our faith muscles so our faith becomes stronger (Jas 1:3–4). Instead of trying to pray away adversity, we can embrace trials as preparation for defeating life’s giants and not cower under the weight of fear.
Recalling how God helped us in the past, strengthens us to trust Him now.
Write a list of ways God’s been faithful to you in the past, and pray for God to strengthen your faith in light of His steadfast love.
#3 – Godly obedience seeks holy purpose in adversity.
When we face adversity, we might wonder why God allows it or if He cares.
But a better question to ask is: What is God’s purpose in this?
God often has a holy purpose in adversity.
King Darius ordered Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ den. But God sent His angel to rescue Daniel in—not from—the lions’ den and shut the lions’ jaws (Dn 6:22).
God’s purpose in allowing Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ den was Babylonian spiritual revival!
“King Darius wrote to all the peoples…I make a decree that in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God, enduring forever” (Dn 6:25–26 ESV).
The miracle of the lions’ den caused King Darius and a godless Babylonian nation to worship God.
Our trials can teach us the power of fervent prayer, daily obedience, and steadfast commitment to God’s ways. We can witness God’s power to change hearts (Prv 21:1).
When we seek God’s purpose in trials, our focus is on our heavenly Father, not our pain.
What does it look like to trust the Lord’s purpose no matter what trials you’re experiencing or may lie ahead?
The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Obey God
God resolved my workplace ordeal, and my employer withdrew improper workplace demands.
While we’re not always guaranteed positive outcomes when we step out in faith, obedience to the Lord is always worth it (Heb 11).
Our world challenges us to exchange God’s principles for relative morality.
As empowered by the Holy Spirit (Eph 3:16), Christians may need to make choices that demand costly earthly sacrifice.
We should willingly lay down earthly treasures, face adversity with godly courage, and seek God’s purpose in difficulties.
With the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, we can say these earthly treasures are worthless compared to Jesus (Phil 3:7).
Regina D’Carr
Regina D’Carr is an evangelist, Bible teacher, conference speaker, and mentor with over 25 years of service to God. Her passion is serving God through speaking, writing, and singing. Join her on the Amplifying Christ’s Voice Podcast, where listeners discover how to transform their communities and the world through sharing Jesus, the Living Gospel! Regina is an avid reader and exercise enthusiast.
