top of page

When Things Heat Up

Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder

September 7, 2026



This Week's Anchor


“So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched,

and there was no smell of fire on them.”

Daniel 3: 26b-27 (NIV)

Oh, how we love the sweet transition from summer to Fall. The cool evening air is a breezing, spiced lattes are a brewing, and…colds and viral infections are a spreading. As a parent, I brace for the coughs and sniffles that often emerge as the leaves fall and my daughter’s school year begins. And with each season of sickness, I find myself inspired by God's ingenuity when it comes to our bodies and their ability to recover, time and time again, from the inevitable illnesses that come.


If you’ve lived at least a few years on this earth, you’ve probably experienced an illness at some point in your life. One hallmark symptom of a viral infection is the warming of our bodies through what we call a fever. I recall my daughter's first experience with our friend, the fever, a few years ago. Witnessing my child endure this internal fire was a great reminder of the miraculous ways our bodies work. Our body’s ability to recognize unwanted visitors and crank up our inner temperature to fight off diseases is nothing short of Divine creativity. As we consider this bodily capability, we can ponder other ways God heats things up not only inside us but also around us at key moments in our lives.


Our anchor scripture takes us to a passage with a group of folks who can certainly attest to God’s divine heat-up. This story illustrates the experiences of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who found themselves locked in a fiery furnace after protesting that they would not serve the gods of King Nebuchadnezzar. Despite the blaze, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego showed great faith that God would deliver them; not only did they survive the fire unscathed, but the presence of Jesus seemed to appear with them as they waded through the sweltering furnace. As a result of this, King Nebuchadnezzar, compelled by the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, decreed that their God was not spoken against and promoted them in the province.


It is my prayer that none of us find ourselves in a physical fiery furnace like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. However, like our bodies amid illness, wading through spiritually heated seasons in our lives is not only inevitable but usually purposeful. Those moments when we feel pressure at our breaking points often become the foundation for our breakthroughs. Like a fever to an infection, they serve an important purpose in our lives. In fact, let’s take a closer look at the function of the heat-up:


​Physical Fevers Support Us By:

​Spiritual Fevers Support Us By:

  • Telling us important info about our body (e.g., our health status and that our body needs a response)

  • Helping to rid ourselves of unwanted viral invaders

  • Restoring our health system

  • Ultimately building our immunity to protect us against future health threats

  • Telling us important info about ourselves, our lives, and our God

  • Helping to rid our lives of things that are in the way of God’s purpose for us (e.g., certain beliefs, thoughts, attitudes, places, people, etc.)

  • Restoring our spiritual health system (e.g., resetting and grounding us spiritually)

  • Ultimately building our faith and relationship with the Holy Trinity, protecting us against future spiritual threats (e.g., our connection to our purpose, we are encouraged and empowered to carry on)

Despite knowing its function and benefits, I imagine we can all agree that being sick with a fever is not fun. Similarly, having our spiritual lives heat up often brings discomfort, pain, and exhaustion. However, like the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, what’s on the other side is greater. When we find ourselves in heated moments in our lives, we can find hope in knowing that God’s Divine purpose accompanies God’s orchestrated warmth.

Reflection

  • What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?

  • What do you need from the Holy Trinity in moments when things heat up in your life?

  • What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?


Related Scriptures to Ground You Through This Week

  • Tuesday: Psalm 23

  • Wednesday: Psalm 37:7

  • Thursday: Proverbs 3:5-6

  • Friday: Daniel 3

  • Saturday: Isaiah 43:1-2

  • Sunday: Jeremiah 17:7-8


My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide


A Song of Inspiration


Quote of Love & Liberation


“Don't let anyone shame you into becoming hopeless. It's ok to be hopeful. Hope doesn't deny reality. You're simply allowing space for your optimism to become the reality.” Bethanee Epifani J. Bryant







Recent Posts

See All

Comments

Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page