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This Life: Encouragement during rocky times

Rocky terrain

CHARISSA CHEONG reflects on how words given to the Biblical Prophet Daniel have served as an encouragement to her…

London, UK

Rocky terrain

Navigating rocky terrain? PICTURE: João Pedro Salles/Unsplash

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As He spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to Him, “speak Lord, for You have strengthened me.” – Daniel 10:19

Have you ever been stuck in an emotional rut? Over the past few weeks, I’ve been feeling rather down, and I’m not even entirely sure why. It’s just felt like one of those seasons in life, where everything has been spiralling out of control in my head. 

I’ve felt overwhelmed by the busyness of everyday working life, and experienced loneliness after moving away from old university friends and having less time to spend with those who I’m closest to. I’d describe this time as something of a rough patch, where I’ve managed to see only the bad in every circumstance that has come my way. 

“Sometimes, we can become so obsessed with our own weaknesses and difficulties that we close our ears off to the life-giving and healing words that Jesus is trying to speak over us. He is praying for and interceding for us all the time!”

It’s in this kind of rocky terrain that we find Daniel in this chapter of the Bible. He is described as going through a period of “mourning” and fasting, and, although we’re not told exactly what happened, he was clearly not shown to be operating at his best. 

In the passage, a man dressed in linen clothing, who is widely believed to be Jesus, appears to Daniel in a vision. At this point, the weary prophet does not immediately snap out of his emotional rut, but rather, he starts complaining to Jesus about it! “I am very weak. How can someone like me, Your servant, talk to You, my Lord?,” he says. 

When I first read this chapter, the whole thing struck me as slightly ridiculous. Imagine if the King of Kings appeared and ministered to you, and instead of eagerly awaiting what He had to say, you started questioning His judgement and effectively telling Him to come back later when you’re in a better mood.



It then occurred to me that so often, my heart can be hard to God’s encouragement. The encouragement that He so often speaks into our lives through His word and the Holy Spirit. When Jesus responds to Daniel, He is gentle and reminds him how of “precious” he is to God. 

He then begins to speak life-giving words over him. Those wonderful words – “Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” – have a commanding and immediate effect on Daniel’s life. He suddenly feels strengthened, as is then able to listen and do what God had called him to do. 

Sometimes, we can become so obsessed with our own weaknesses and difficulties that we close our ears off to the life-giving and healing words that Jesus is trying to speak over us. He is praying for and interceding for us all the time!


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When I received the words in this verse for myself through prayer, I too felt strengthened, and no longer consumed by the negative thoughts I had previously harboured. 

Our Saviour has the final say over the state of our lives. Of course, difficult moments still occur every day, tempting to us to become overwhelmed, worried, and weighed down. But it is when we realise and accept that our emotions are no match for Jesus’ healing words that we can declare victory over those negative feelings. 

May we all have our ears opened to hear our Lord reminding us how precious we are to Him, and how easy it is for Him to turn mourning into strength and joy. 

 

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