Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6:10 (NIV)
Daniel’s enemies went to King Darius to get him to issue a 30-day decree (establish a law). The law stated that during that period, the only person who people could pray to was the king. We see Daniel’s response in the verse above. He was unmoved. He prayed to God just as he had done before.
When you face persecution for following Jesus, do you have more of a desire to please God or people? Your persecution may not be physical, but it could come in the form of co-workers making jokes about you because you go to church or friends making snarky remarks about God in general. In those moments, will you hold fast to your faith or will you be more concerned about fitting in with others. When people attack your faith, it’s important to be committed to what you believe just like Daniel. Think about times when you were attacked (verbally) for your Christian beliefs. What was your response? What would you do if those situations arose again?