Inspirational Tuesday - But even if he doesn't...

Today's Inspirational post is a little different and more lengthy. I was going through my draft content when I found this post I drafted months ago but never posted it on the blog. I thought it would be perfect for today's Inspirational post so here it is.

I tried not to do too much editing in order to retain the originality, feelings and thought at the moment I wrote this.

Enjoy!

I cannot count how many times I've listened to this song (Kerrie Roberts - No matter what)  and each time, I bump my head, sing along and smile at how beautiful the lyrics are. Not until bible study a couple of weeks ago did I understand the deeper meaning of the message in the song, after which I got the nudge to write this post. I believe we were talking about The Battle for Control and in related topic we read Dan 3: 12-18 as an example of how the king wanted control over Shadiach, Meshach and Abednego. In unrelated topic to the lesson, what stood out to me at that point was in verse 16-18.

Kerrie Roberts - No matter what

 

Dan 3: 16-18: 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.  17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”  

• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed God would save them from the burning furnace, so they were not moved or shaken by the king’s threat. 
• But even if he doesn’t... they knew and believed that He is able to deliver them, but if He doesn't, there's a greater purpose to it, a greater mission to be accomplished. They had faith in God that whatever He decides to do, will be to glorify His name. 
• God is able, all we need to do is trust Him no matter what. If you're in a situation and you constantly asking why or praying for something and you are yet to see the answer, just know that God is able. Of course He can take away all our sufferings and pain, bear all our burdens and answer all our prayers in an instant, but if what burdens our heart is not resolved right away, don't think that He is not able to, but know that there's a greater mission or purpose to be fulfilled.  
• He's ways are not our ways, you might be expecting your answers in a certain form, but God is waiting for you to realize that you answers have been packaged differently and you need to be aware of that. If you don't know what your package is suppose to look like and where it's going to be delivered, how can you know when it arrives and how to position yourself?
• Just because what you're asking for is not been delivered to you today doesn't mean your prayers are not being heard. Remember He has the master plan, all you have to do is trust in Him no matter what. 
• Hebrews 11 is full of stories of people who trusted, had faith in God and obeyed His commands. The last 2 verses are even more profound. 39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
• Unwavering faith, steadfast trust, that's all you need to have, to hold on to. Know in your heart that He will show up, not at your preconceived time, but at His appointed time so when it is done, you and the people around will surely know that this is the Lords doing. You are not going through these things for nothing but for even higher purpose to be achieved.
• Take for example Jesus's death, could He have run away, changed His mind and hide from the people that hunt him down? Yes. Could God himself have easily delivered Jesus from His oppressors? Yes. But, neither of those happened. Why, because there's a greater purpose to Jesus dying. He died to redeem us with his blood, to give us eternal life. It's a sacrifice that had to be made.
• So ask yourself, what sacrifices do you have to make for your prayers to be answered, for your burden to be lifted, what do you have to stop doing, what do you have to start doing, what do you have to change or leave behind to get to where you need to be.
• Change the course of your prayers from asking for things to come pass and situations to start changing tomorrow to asking God for understanding and what it is He wants to accomplish through you, what He wants you to do to get ready.
• Jeremiah 29:11 says For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. There is a master plan, and we all know the basis of it, but the manifestation of it and how it shall come to be is only known by God and to those He has chosen to reveal it to. All three men knew God had a plan and purpose for their life, but it was up to God how he wanted the king and his people to witness His power. 
• Trust...no matter what