No Excuses

Praise be to the name of God . . . wisdom and power are His. - Daniel 2:20

Innocent bystanders often get hurt by the mistakes and poor decisions of others.
Disasters happen that haunt us for life even though we have no direct responsibility.
Often the best way to handle these things is to accept them and to make the best of the
situation.

Daniel and his friends were innocent bystanders who suffered a lifelong exile to Babylon
because of their country’s prolonged disobedience to God. But they didn’t let their
misfortune destroy their relationship with God. With courage and faith, they faced the
realities of exile and lived successful lives. Their lives gives us insight into how to deal
with tragedy.

After being taken from Jerusalem to Babylon, Daniel and his three friends were trained
for service in the Babylonian government. Their captors often demanded that they do
things that stood in opposition to God. To protect their relationship with God, Daniel and
his friends set clear boundaries for their behavior. They followed God’s plan for their
lives, despite its conflict with the command of their captors. And God protected these
faithful men from the foreign laws and unstable tyrants they lived under.

Although Daniel and his friends were exiled to Babylon for the sins of their ancestors,
they didn’t use that as an excuse for continued failure. Instead, they trusted God to
redeem their lives, and they were determined to live according to God’s precepts and
teachings. You can do the same.

“We get so focused on micromanaging God and His Kingdom that we forget to realize
that He is more than capable of handling things on His own.” - Bridget Willard (1973- )