Resting in Times of Trouble: A Lesson from Daniel

This post is by Kelli LaFram.

Finding time to rest, even when life seems to be going as planned, can be challenging. So when we hit troubled waters, focusing on resting is not the first thing that comes to mind. Generally our thoughts fly to how we can find solutions to our problems or get out of our sticky situations, but in the pages of the Old Testament we find a character who did just the opposite -- he rested.

In Daniel 6 you will find a story of -- guess who? -- Daniel. At this point in his life he is probably 80 years old and he is serving his fourth Babylonian king, King Nebuchadnezzar. Since the exile of Israel to Babylon, Daniel has risen from a lowly palace servant (read slave) to one of three governors who report directly to the king. He is so highly favored by the king, in fact, that many of the other high officials become jealous and begin to plot against him. These scheming officials use flattery and confusion to convince King Nebuchadnezzar to decree that anyone who petitions any god or man other than himself for thirty days should be cast into the lion's den (vv 1-7).

If you were in Daniel’s shoes what would you do? Worry, argue, lobby to have the decree reversed? Rally your fellow Israelites to protest? Wait it out? Pray and worship in secret? There are a whole lot of things that we could do, but Daniel chose something that resembled the opposite of do. He chose rest.

"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days" (Daniel 6:10, emphasis added).

Please notice the phrase “as was his custom since early days.” Spiritual rest, like most anything else, is a habit that must be cultivated. This verse illustrates a few key components that we should take time to cultivate just like Daniel did.

First, Daniel went home and into his upper room. He had a place designated for his time with the Lord, his place of rest. Yes, the Lord is with us always and we can commune with Him anywhere, but it is important to have a place set apart for prayer and reflection -- a place where we can connect with God and rest.

Second, Daniel knelt down on his knees. Our physical posture, whether it is kneeling, bowing our heads, or lying prostrate on the floor, reflects the posture of our hearts. Our physical posture not only helps us to stay focused in our time of prayer, but also encourages us to be humble and reverent in the presence of the Lord.

Third, Daniel prayed and gave thanks before his God. He was facing certain death. And while he likely prayed for rescue from the mouth of the lion’s den, he did not dwell on his dire circumstances. Instead he entered into spiritual rest by lifting praise and thanksgiving to his trustworthy God.

I’ve already mentioned this once, but I need to emphasize it again. Daniel went into his upper room, knelt, prayed, and offered thanksgiving as was his custom. This type of prayer life, this type of rest-life, doesn’t just exist because we want it to. Prayer and spiritual rest take consistency and practice. By cultivating prayer and rest even in calm times, we build the spiritual muscle memory needed to remain steadfast in troubled times.

Daniel’s example reminds us that spiritual rest is not a last-minute decision, instead it is a habit that is grown over a lifetime. We can begin (or continue) to grow this habit by intentionally setting aside a place for prayer, adopting a humble posture, and offering thanksgiving no matter the circumstances. Let us commit to building these habits now, so when troubled times come, we too can find rest and peace in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Kelli LaFram is actually Kelli LaFramboise, but no one can pronounce that, so with the permission of her family she writes under the shorter pen name. Her neighbors have started referring to her bunch as the LaFram Fam. Kelli has led Bible studies in her home and serves in the worship and children’s ministries at her local church. Kelli is an elementary school teacher and her hobbies include blogging about God’s word, listening to audiobooks with her children, and drinking good (decaf) coffee. Currently, she is only writing for Hello Mornings, but you can connect with her at https://www.instagram.com/kellilafram/.

Photo by Prince David on Unsplash