Prayer vs Panic

Last night I read Daniel 2. As I was reading it I didn't think it would really reveal anything to me. I just thought it would be another story from the Old Testament. I think God probably giggles when we have such little expectation about what his words can do in our lives. When I am studying passages that I am reading I use my NIV Life Application Study Bible because the footnotes really take me deeper into what I am reading.

When you have time read through this passage, it has more than one point that really relates to our lives. However, one part really touched me and I want to share it with you today.

Daniel and his friends (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) were facing death, ordered by the king. Daniel went to the king to request more time to interpret a dream for the king. After he went to the king he did something that jumped out at me. He went to his trusted friends and they prayed.

He knew that his friends believed in God's power just as much as he did. He "urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery. . ." The footnotes in my Bible state the following, "when you find yourself in a tight spot, share your needs with trusted friends who also believe in God's power. Prayer is more effective than panic. Panic confirms hopelessness; prayer confirms your hope in God."

What is your response to crisis? Are you confident in God's power? I am blessed to have some very strong Christian women as friends. I know that they believe in God's power. And often in crisis I turn to them for comfort and wisdom. Sometimes we can talk for hours on different issues in our lives and work through them with different words of advice or guidance. But how often do we just stop talking and start praying together? Probably not enough.

As women most of us have an easy time sharing our problems and we want our friends to give us solutions. We believe that God will help us, but we want immediate answers so we go to our friends. This passage really convicted me when I read it. I have some friends right now that are really struggling with different curveballs that life has thrown their way. I feel like I am a good listener and I try to be encouraging and offer advice. I pray for them and their families, but I never pray with them. I never stop a conversation and say, "I think we should pray together right now and ask God to supply the answers that you need."

I love my friends. I need my friends and I want to be here for my friends. I believe in God's power over everything in my life and in their lives. I needed to read this scripture, and I felt I needed to share this scripture. And right now I need to call some of my friends and ask them if they can take some time out of their day so we can pray together.