Thoughts: Hannah's Blog

I was reading Daniel chapter 10. It mentions Daniel receiving a vision 3 weeks earlier that had troubled him greatly and he had fasted/mourned about it, for the past 3 weeks. Now he gets a vision, those around him don’t see it but they are overwhelmed with fear and they flee, leaving him alone.

So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless.                        – Daniel 10: 8

Daniel felt weak and helpless, he had reached the end of his resources, he had no more strength left. When the angel speaks to him, he gets up trembling, with fear as well as lack of strength. Verses 16 and 17 gives Daniel’s response to the angel’s greeting:

“I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”

It clearly portrays the extent of his weakness. That’s when the angel reaches out and touches him and gives him strength. He also speaks encouraging words to him. Daniel says his words strengthened him.

… the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”

So two things had happened that Daniel received strength from: One a touch and then words. We’d have read many verses along the lines of  Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for I am with you to help/deliver you etc. God’s words are powerful, they give us strength when we feel weak and powerless.

Sometimes when we are overwhelmed by the situations that we are in, the first response is fear and anxiousness, we wonder how we will ever be able to come out of this. What do we do, what not to do. These are the questions foremost in our minds. As we are muddled due to the strong emotions, we feel lost and all alone. That’s when God’s word reaches us, and touches us in the place of our need.

What to do? Be Strong, be Brave, Be courageous.

What not to do? Don’t be afraid, Don’t be dismayed or discouraged.

You are not alone. I am with you, right by your side. I’ll never leave you alone, I will never forsake you.

..followed by specific promises of deliverance or help that we need in that particular situation.

We need to listen and hold on to his word to get strengthened. Hold on to his promises. The Almighty God, with whom nothing is impossible is with us, the God-of-Angel-Armies! When he opens a door, no one can close it, when he closes a door, no one can open it. He is capable of doing much more than we can ever ask or imagine.

He will be your strength, He will be your guide, He will be your friend, everything that you want him to be. David says in Psalms 138:

When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.

May we join with David in calling out the the Lord, so that his words might embolden us in this scary situation. May we like the prophet Habakkuk declare the Lord as our strength and affirm that He will indeed help us to climb the mountains that we face by strengthening us:

The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. – Habakkuk 3 :19