April 18, 2023

Daniel 1:17-21 (HCSB)
17 God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. 18 At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to serve in the king's court. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them 10 times better than all the diviner-priests and mediums in his entire kingdom. 21 Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Nick Corbin
The Lord granted Daniel and the other Judeans wisdom and discernment. Daniel was gifted specifically in prophecy. Growing up playing sports it was easy to envy that kid who was just naturally talented and was head over heels above everyone. It seemed unfair that they never had to work near as hard to get to the level of skill they wanted to obtain. Without understanding, it is very easy to be upset in circumstances when you're the not so talented athlete, or seem to be the underappreciated worker. That's why this verse, Proverbs 1:7 CSB -⁷ "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.", should be a great reminder. Start with the fear of the Lord and these little challenges we face daily don't seem like mountains any longer. And the great news is this -James 1:5 CSB ⁵-“ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God -who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly -and it will be given to him." God just wants to have a relationship with you. Spend that time with Him, and you'll find that that loud noise in life, while maybe not going away, does get quieter and more peaceful."