Thriving in "Less than Ideal Circumstances"

Frodo:   I wish the ring had never come to me.  I wish none of this had happened.

Gandolph: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide.  All we must decide is what to do with the time given to us.

In the Lord of the Rings, Frodo is mourning the predicament in which he finds himself.  And for good, reason, mind you. He in lost in the mines of Moria, on his way to Mount Doom to destroy the ring of power.  He is being hunted by the nine black riders, who are relentlessly trying to recover the ring for the Lord Sauron.  The white wizard, Saruman, has also unleashed his Uro’kai to find him and take the ring.  Furthermore, a gangly creature, named Gollum, is stalking the fellowship, looking for the opportunity to steal the ring.  Frodo has been stabbed, nearly frozen, and almost drowned by some lake monster.  And the journey is really just beginning.  He has no idea what perils await him as he draws ever closer to Mordor. It is no wonder he regrets having possession of this ring.

Gandalf understands his plight.  As a wise old sage, he offers comfort, “So do all who live to see such times…” and wisdom,  “…but that is not for them to decide.  All we must decide is what to do with the time given to us.” Great advice for Frodo.  Great advice for us, as well.

It has been said that you will live the rest of your life under less than ideal circumstances.  We do not like to hear that, but it does not make it any less true.  We live on this side of Eden, and until Eden is restored to her former glory, we must face hardships, tribulations, wars, disappointments, heartbreaks, sicknesses, and even deaths.  It is simply a fact of life.  And from day to day, we have absolutely no idea what may happen to change the course of our lives forever.   That is why Gandalf’s advice is so powerful.  Allow me to translate his words by sharing another famous quote, “It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond that matters.”

There are several heroes throughout history that we could lift up as examples who responded appropriately to the “less than ideal circumstances” that they encountered on their respective journeys.  Actually, if you think about it, that is what a hero is, someone who overcomes the “less than ideal circumstances” opposing him and/or others.  Heroes assess a bad situation and determine to do something about it.  And frankly, the road to victory is not an easy one.  And that’s what makes their stories worth telling. 

One such hero is a man named Daniel, and his story is found in a book called, appropriately enough, Daniel.  Daniel was a young man of noble blood and a promising future.  Yet, he and several other young men from Israel were taken from their homes and ordered to serve the King who had besieged their land.  Forced to learn the teachings, traditions, and religions of the pagan kings whom he served, Daniel would spend the rest of his life as a captive, unable to return home. 

Despite this, Daniel seemed to thrive in a situation that would have disillusioned others.  Daniel gained favor with the kings' trusted servants, and then with the kings themselves.  As the years passed, he gained prominence, position, and even fortune.  Most of all, the name of Daniel’s God was lifted up and glorified among these pagan kingdoms.

So what did Daniel exhibit that set him apart?  Why did he gain favor among his captors?  It all had to do with how he conducted himself “under less than ideal circumstances.”

1.            Daniel maintained exemplary character.

We see this in Daniel 1:8, when he refused to defile himself by eating the king’s meat.  There could have been some things on Daniel’s plate that God had clearly prohibited the children of Israel from eating.  Also, the food could have been offered up to idols before it was served.  At any rate, Daniel wanted no part of anything that would assimilate him into the pagan culture.

His character is shown again in Daniel 6, when he continues to pray, even after a decree has been passed forbidding it.

He could have had the attitude, “When in Babylon, do what the Babylonians do.”  There are many that do.  Chameleons, whose color changes with the crowd.  They value expediency, popularity, or safety over character.  Yet Daniel valued his character above all of these.

Notice I say that he maintained his character.  That is because he had developed his character before he was in a situation that demanded it.  If you have questionable character, it will be revealed in a time of testing.

 

Now, maintaining exemplary character may sometimes have a price.  It could cost you a promotion, a bonus, a relationship, or fill in the blank__________________.  Yet, those who do maintain exemplary character gain so much more.  Over time they earn trust and respect. Most importantly, they maintain their honor and a clear conscience.

2.            Daniel maintained an excellent spirit.

In Daniel 6, a new king of a different kingdom has assumed power, and he appoints Daniel as one of his three highest officers.  (Now, much happened between Daniel 1 and Daniel 6.  Read it for yourself.)  Furthermore, we are told that Daniel is preferred above all the rest of the princes and presidents.  This young man, who was taken captive many years before, the king now wants to set him “over the whole realm.”  Wow!  Pretty impressive.  Not bad for an exile.  So what about Daniel brought about favor from King Darius?  It is because “an excellent spirit was in him.” (6:3)

Can you think of someone that you know who has an excellent spirit?  How do they conduct themselves?  I bet they have a positive, friendly attitude.  They have good character and a strong work ethic.  They lift up others.  You feel better about yourself after being around them.  And I think that is how Darius felt when he was around Daniel.

Now remember, we are talking about having an excellent spirit “under less than ideal circumstances.”  It is easy to maintain an excellent spirit when all is right with the world.  It is in adversity that this is tested.  How do you respond when someone mistreats you?  How much energy do you put into a task that you do not enjoy?  How do you deal with the pressure of deadlines?  How do you handle all the darts that the enemy hurls your way?

Excellence is a lighthouse in a sea of mediocrity.  It will shine out for all to see.

3.            Daniel maintained his faith in God.

All through the first six chapters of Daniel, we see again and again that Daniel believed in the providence and provision of God.  He believed that God would honor his commitment to abstaining from the king’s food.  He trusted God to give him the interpretations of the king’s dreams.  Daniel sought God for wisdom and direction in times of need. 

And God honored his faith.  He gave Daniel wisdom and revelation.  He granted Daniel favor with the kings.  He protected Daniel and delivered him from the lion’s den.

It is easy for our faith to be shaken when we find ourselves living “under less than ideal circumstances.”  But always remember these two things:

                1. God’s heart toward you is good.

                2. God is working out His purposes.

We can trust Him because He loves us and because He knows what He is doing.

God does not want us to just get by.  He wants us to thrive.  After all, we are told in John 10:10, Jesus came to give us abundant life.    As Daniel showed us our character, our excellence, and our faith will determine just how well we thrive in “less than ideal circumstances.