As I was preparing to face another work week, I had this overwhelming sense of anxiety that I was about to face a den of lions, much like Daniel in the Old Testament, under King Darius’ reign. My anxiety was getting the best of me and every single task at work felt like a lion staring hungrily at its prey, ready to devour me. I could easily relate to Daniel.
King Darius issued a decree that anyone who bowed down to any god or man but him, during the next thirty days, would be thrown in to the lions’ den (Daniel 6:7). Daniel, instead of having anxiety take over or calling a friend and bellyaching about the new decree, he went straight to God, like he had done all the times before (Daniel 6:10).
Then I remembered the end of Daniel’s miraculous story. “At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?’ Daniel answered, ‘O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me…’” (Daniel 6:19-22).
In my own life, I have been guilty of going to other places but God. When I am faced with a difficult scenario, sometimes I go to my husband first or I take a trip to the land of anxiety, fear and worry. Have you been there too?
When Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den, he was prayed up. He did not need to be consumed with anxiety or fear because God was there waiting with him, ready to close the mouths of the lions.
In the midst of my lions’ den work week, although they stalked me, looked at me like a juicy 16 oz. steak, I prayed. I prayed fervently for God to come and shut the mouths of my work-related lions. Instead of watching the mercury rise on the anxiety thermometer, I got down on my knees and prayed for the presence of God to be prevalent throughout my work day. Although, I may have heard hungry growls, I knew my God was right there with me in the lions’ den shutting their mouths.
The next time anxiety calls your name and you are faced with a pack of hungry staplers in the office jungle, a pack of hungry kids swinging from the vines of the chaos at home, or a pack of hungry customers zooming down the annoying conveyor belt at the check-out lane, rest assured that God is there with you in your den. Pray that He will shut the mouths of your lions so you can say with Daniel, “they have not hurt me!” (Daniel 6:22).