I grew up singing, "Dare to be a Daniel. Dare to stand alone." I love that song. But recently I was thinking about how sometimes I need a different dare. I need to dare to stand with others. This comes partially out of my own spiritual experience. I consciously gave my life to Christ when I was seven years old and with the exception of a couple prodigal seasons have stayed in a committed to relationship with Him since. This means I've been "different" almost my whole life. As a child I got teased for being a goody two-shoe, as a teen I had to skip out on some parties my friends attended, as a college student I had to look unintelligent because I didn't embrace all the ideas that many of my peers did. Being different my whole life has made me very independent. And while this sounds very spiritual and very much in line with "daring to be a Daniel"*, it also means that I habitually live my walk with God alone.
I don't reach out if I'm struggling spiritually. If I'm overwhelmed, I simply withdraw the way a sick cat might go and hide under a house. My attitude often is "I've done this long enough alone. I can keep doing it alone." And yet the Bible is full of admonition to not "go alone".
Here are just two texts:
"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24). "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (James 5:16).
This year I've made small steps to not "going at God alone." In fact, if there is any moment I should be proud of in 2010 it is a night when I was feeling basically cornered by the devil. I texted a friend, "Please pray for me! I feel like I'm fighting hand to hand combat with the devil." Knowing that my friend was praying for me and hearing from her the next day was a powerful antidote to my struggle.
The funny thing about the line "Dare to be a Daniel/Dare to stand alone" is that he wasn't standing alone. He stood with his friends Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego.
*I should add I've been a very meek and mild Daniel. I "stood" up so quietly for my beliefs that I'm not sure anyone noticed.
**The song "Dare to Be a Daniel" actually does say that when we stand alone we are joining Daniel's band.
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3 comments:
Yay for you! I have been very grateful for friends and family that have prayed me through some tough times. I do think God gave us language and made us social beings to enhance our walk with him, not just for evangelistic or utilitarian reasons. What surprises me is that people have seemed so grateful when I've shared my struggles with them; they have thought THEY were alone. And there are wise friends who have gone before me for whom I've been grateful, because they were willing to share how they navigated tough times, once I opened up and told them what was going on. Of course, opening up isn't all that hard for me...I tend to wear my thoughts right out there where people can see them. Sigh. :)
Hmm, interesting post. However, I would like to point out that you are good at standing up with others in their spiritual tough times!
Ginger: I like the thought that God uses our walk with others to improve our walk with Him. I was telling my dad the other day that real character growth should be accompanied by a growing intimacy with those around us.
Doris: Thank you!
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