But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. – Daniel 1:8
When you hear the word “determination,” what comes to your mind? Maybe you pictured a determined athlete, a 2-year-old who doesn’t want to back down, or a cancer patient who battles for years.
It is a term often thrown around and used with success or reaching the highest level ranging from athletics, academics, disabilities, and in any field of study. It is also persevering through a diagnosis. But it also takes a resolve to stay the course spiritually.
As they say, winners never quit, and quitters never win. Recent research suggests that having determination is more important than being smart. That’s because our intelligence (and the rest of our talents) are inherently passive qualities, but determination is active.
Daniel shows what spiritual determination is. He, an Israelite, is chosen to join the king’s service. With this new role, He faced pressure to compromise his Jewish standards and fit into the Babylonian culture. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore, he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (Daniel 1:8).
He did not object to the name given to him, because he knew who he was, and others could call him what they wanted. Daniel did not object to the Babylonian education, because he knew what he believed. Daniel objected to the food from the king’s table because eating it was a direct disobedience to God’s Word.
Daniel knew that what he was being asked to eat and drink went against God’s commands. It would have been easy to partake in the meal and appease his new bosses, but he knew this would be wrong in God’s eyes. He has purposely determined to not compromise.
He knew God and His Word and was fixed on God’s purpose. So, when faced with an uncomfortable adversity, and potentially costly decision — Daniel didn’t have to wrestle with what to do. Though it took courage to follow through, the decision not to defile himself was clear.
Will we be like Daniel who brought glory to God even as a young teenager, when he purposely determined in his heart to keep His commandment? Or will we compromise under pressure from the world because we have no convictions? If we really want to live our life for the Lord Jesus, we must have determination!
Like Daniel, we need to know God’s Word then be intentional in our obedience to it. This is where determination comes in. He shows us that inner conviction and determination can overcome any outer pressure and that God-honoring convictions yield God-given rewards.
The culture we live in isn’t always conducive to our values as Christians. Though knowing and wanting to do what is right is important, it’s only the first step. We need to have the determination to carry out our beliefs even when the pressure is on.
How can we apply it to our character training? Determination is one of those qualities that manifests itself when a person encounters a challenge. Dependent on how far a person overcomes those obstacles, or how well they solve them entirely, equals how much determination a person is said to demonstrate.
Determination is a type of inner strength. It means not giving up despite challenges and being brave despite fear. It means riding out the storm. However, it doesn’t apply to merely situations in which people come out triumphant. Sometimes, people fail at their attempts, but they are considered determined because they gave it their best shot, despite difficulties.
Without determination, it can lead us to give up on the one thing that we wanted to do because of the difficulty that we are faced with or what someone else has said. No one should ever give up on something that they truly want to do because everyone can achieve something if they are willing to put in the work and have a strong mindset towards overcoming the particular challenge and overcoming people who disagree with you and don’t have your best interest at heart. That’s the power of determination! Having that by our side can make a difference in our lives.