As I took a walk around my neighborhood last week, I ran into a bit of trouble.  I enjoy my autumn walks so I was disappointed when I saw a huge dog across the street.  If you are a lover of great danes this would not be a troubling scene.  But any animal that stands as high as my shoulder may give me cause for concern.

As I continued to walk, the dog followed me with his eyes.  This was a moment of truth.  For me the best truth was to turn around and act like I didn’t see his highness.  As I walked away in the opposite direction, I prayed the dog was not in hot pursuit.  He wasn’t and I continued to enjoy my walk that day.

Have you had to make a risky choice recently?   It’s the kind of choice that lands us between a rock and a hard place. We become squeezed between a painful reality on one side and a risky choice on the other side.  However, I’m finding when we have the least amount of options we have the greatest opportunity — to trust and depend on God.

“Just because there is a threat in plain sight, it doesn’t mean that God has lost sight of us.”

Trusting God is meant to be a way of life and not just a last resort during tough times.  However, the more challenging life becomes the more crucial our choice becomes to trust and lean on Him.  A perfect example is the biblical account of Daniel’s rescue in the lions’ den (see Daniel 6).

Daniel was an Old Testament prophet who served in Babylon during Israel’s captivity.  A decree was issued prohibiting prayer to anyone but Babylon’s king.  The law was the proverbial rock and the deadly consequences of breaking the law became Daniel’s hard place.  This was Daniel’s moment of truth and he chose to continue his discipline of praying to the God of Israel.

Daniel made a risky choice and he was thrown into a den of lions.  But God heard his prayer and as a result the lions had a toothless roar. The lions’ teeth weren’t missing; but God’s power to protect Daniel was present.  Just because there is a threat in plain sight, it doesn’t mean that God has lost sight of us.

The great dane encounter was my most recent threat, but I’m pretty amazed by Daniel’s story.  I believe whatever trouble God allows us to encounter He is ready to help us overcome. Whether it is a dog, a lion, or a __________ (you fill in the blank) having faith in God takes the teeth out of our trouble.

If you’re facing a troublesome situation here’s some good news:  Daniel’s really big problem became a really a big testimony about his God.  It may be hard to imagine Daniel’s resolve when he went into the lions’ den, but we can imagine his relief when he came out.  And that kind of rescue brings hope to my heart and joy to my soul.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever- present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1 NIV