The Struggle of Daniel

Daniel is one of the most inspiring figures in the Old Testament. Forcibly taken from his home at a young age, marched to Babylon, educated in the wisdom/language of the Babylonians, and eventually employed in the service of kings from two prominent empires, Daniel experiences incredible trials and spectacular successes in the first 6 chapters of the eponymous book. However, it is in chapter 7 where these stories take a hard left turn into the sort of Daniel we don’t hear so much about.

In Daniel 7-12 Daniel begins to experience dreams and visions pertaining to nations that would rise to power and fall, and how these were to relate to the Israelite people in the decades and centuries to come. The overwhelming scenes of winged leopards, terrifyingly indescribable beasts, and the “Ancient of Days” Himself saturate his mind and bring Daniel to the point of complete physical and mental overload. Consider a few examples and think to yourself: What sort of shape is Daniel in?

• "As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me.” (Dan. 7.15 NASB)
• “At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself." (Dan. 7.28 NASB)
• “When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it…” (Dan. 8.15a NASB)
• “Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king's business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.” (Dan. 8.27 NASB)
• “So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.” (Dan. 10.8 NASB)
• “As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?" (Dan. 12.8 NASB)

Before we cast dispersions on Daniel, consider that he wasn’t just a good person: Daniel was said to be someone special by God Himself. Ezekiel 14.14 & 14.20 places Daniel as an example of righteousness alongside Noah and Job. Besides the incredible record of Daniel 1-6 (refusing the king’s rich (unclean) food, interpreting dreams, saved from the lions’ den, etc.), the brilliantly bright figure of Daniel 10 refers to him in v.11 as a “man of high esteem”. Daniel was a man who prayed 3x daily (6.10) and read his Bible with intent and ability to understand it (Dan. 9.12). Were Daniel alive today, we would probably refer to him as a “faithful Christian”.

And yet, the above passages exist. As a result of the revelations Daniel experiences severe distress, alarm, and even shock. His face repeatedly changed color due to what he saw and heard (Ever heard of someone being “white as a sheet” from shock?). Daniel records one time (10.1) that he understood the message, and at least twice that he didn’t understand what was told/shown him. He is left exhausted, sick, and weak.

How could someone as good as Daniel struggle as much as Daniel did?

Let’s face it: What God called Daniel to do was hard. Immensely hard. This doesn’t mean God was unjust in asking so much from Daniel (indeed, may we never think such a thought about God). However, God’s purpose for Daniel was clearly beyond his ability to easily tolerate. Daniel had a role to play, and that role demanded much from him mentally and physically. The fact that we have a “book of Daniel” is alone a testament to his successfully fulfilling that purpose. Daniel struggled, and it wasn’t always “pretty”. Daniel didn’t even understand all that God told him to say, but he recorded it in faith that God would one day make all things clear.

Perhaps you have been called to do something that is hard. Raising godly children is hard. Remaining faithful in modern-day Babylon is hard. Wrestling with health struggles is hard. Leading God’s people as an elder is hard. Preaching the gospel is hard. Evangelism is hard. Good stewardship of God’s blessings is hard. Being persecuted for your faith in Christ is hard. In service to Christ, we have all been given difficult tasks to accomplish, and there are times when the fact that we are struggling can lead us to wonder if we are the people we ought to be in the first place. The thought is along the lines of: “There must be something wrong with me, if I’m struggling so much to do this right thing…”

The danger here is not found in struggling: It is found in growing tired of the struggle and quitting the fight. Consider the number of times we are told in the New Testament not to lose heart:

• “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin…” (Heb. 12.3-4 NASB)
• “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. (2 Cor. 4.1-2 NASB)
• “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor. 4.16 NASB)
• “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Gal. 6.9 NASB)
• “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.” (2 Th. 3.13 NASB)
• (To the church in Ephesus): “I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.” (Rev. 2.2-3 NASB)

Why does the scripture tell us so often to not lose heart, unless the fact is that STRUGGLE is an inevitable part of our Christian walk?

In our struggle for Christ, we will experience the same things Daniel experienced. We will feel distress, alarm, and shock. Our faces will lose all their color at times. There are things that will happen that we cannot understand, situations that defy explanation or easy solutions. The Christian walk will leave us at times exhausted, sick, and weak.

Don’t be ashamed. Struggle, and “press on”. The struggle is real, but Christ is worth every moment of it.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3.12-14 ESV)