3 December 2025
Daniel – Strong in Faith. Faithful in the Fire
Devotions from the life of a young man of conviction
4. When You Are Asked – Your Voice at the Right Moment
Why God prepares you before He uses you
Daily Verse
“There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.”
Daniel 2:28
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Introduction: Suddenly in the spotlight
There are people who serve faithfully for years without being seen.
They pray, though no one hears.
They live rightly, though no one applauds.
They train in silence.
They grow without anyone noticing.
And then – sometimes completely unexpectedly – a moment comes when they are needed.
A conversation.
A crisis.
A call.
A question no one else can answer.
And suddenly it becomes visible what God has been building in the quiet.
That is exactly how it was with Daniel.
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Devotion: When preparation meets responsibility
Daniel did not hold a special position when the story in chapter 2 begins.
He was one among many young men at the royal court – gifted, diligent, intelligent, but without power.
His days were filled with study, service, and adapting to the Babylonian environment.
He was far from home, but inwardly he held on to his faith.
He prayed, he sought God’s presence, and he did his work faithfully.
No one applauded, no one wrote about it – it was simply his life.
Then came the situation that changed everything.
The king had a dream that deeply disturbed him.
But he did not just want to know what the dream meant –
he demanded that someone first tell him what he had actually dreamed.
The wise men of Babylon said that no human being could do this.
Nebuchadnezzar reacted harshly.
He ordered all his advisers to be killed.
Daniel was included in this order, even though he had not been present in the first conversation.
When he heard about it, he did not look for excuses, he did not blame others, and he did not fall into panic.
He went straight to his friends and explained the situation.
Then they decided together to pray –
not loudly, not theatrically,
but simply, consistently, and earnestly.
During the night Daniel received the answer that none of the other wise men could give.
The dream was revealed to him, and with it the interpretation.
The next day he stood before Nebuchadnezzar –
not triumphant, not proud,
but clear and aware that what he knew did not come from himself.
He did not begin with self-promotion.
He plainly explained that no human could fulfil this task
and that only the God of heaven reveals mysteries.
Daniel then told the king the dream and its meaning –
clearly, understandably, without exaggeration.
And Nebuchadnezzar realised in that moment that the answer he had been seeking did not come from Babylon,
but from the God in whom Daniel believed.
Daniel was honoured, promoted, and given authority.
But the true foundation for that moment was not a spectacular event.
It was the unnoticed lifestyle he had lived for years beforehand.
Daniel did not stand there because he had looked for a stage,
but because he was ready when the stage came to him.
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What does this mean for us?
Sometimes your life feels like preparation without a platform.
You pray – and no one knows.
You stand firm – and no one sees it.
You remain faithful – and no one applauds.
But God is building in secret what He wants to use in public.
When the day comes when a voice is needed,
an answer, a stance, a testimony –
it may be that you are exactly that person.
Not because you pushed yourself forward,
but because you were ready.
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What we can learn from Daniel
• God often prepares us in secret before He uses us in the open.
• The moment you step forward is not the beginning of faith – it is the result of it.
• Whoever prays in the night can stand with courage in the day.
• The right moment will find you if you belonged to God beforehand.
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Practical steps for today
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Practice faithfulness today in something small – without waiting to be seen.
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When a question, problem, or opportunity comes – go to God first, not to people.
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Thank God for every season of waiting – it is preparation.
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Expect that God can open doors when the moment comes.
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Questions for reflection
• Where is God quietly preparing me right now – even if I don’t see it?
• Which “small spaces” do I take seriously, even though they seem insignificant?
• Am I ready if God suddenly calls me?
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Prayer
Lord,
I don’t just want to be seen – I want to be faithful.
Prepare me for the day when I am asked.
Give me courage to speak clearly when you send me,
and humility to give you the glory.
Prepare my heart now,
so that I can stand then.
Amen.
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Key thought of the day
God prepares you in the hidden place – so that you can stand when you are called.
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