Acts 16:22-25
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
I have a confession to make to you. Over the past few weeks, even months, I have been on an emotional and spiritual and even physical rollercoaster. There have been some circumstances that have caught me off guard. There have been some things hit me hard, some things I brought on myself and other things that just happened. I have another confession to make to you. I am very good at giving away the medicine to others, but I am no so good at taking the medicine myself.
In his book, Chase the Lion, Mark Batterson says, "I think there are two basic types of people in the world: complainers and worshipers. Complainers can always find something to complain about, but worshipers can always find something to praise God about." Wow! Those are powerful words. And whether I complain outwardly to my wife, to my kids, or to my friends, or whether I complain inwardly to myself, it is still complaining. And what I have found with complaining is this: my focus is always on the problem or problems when I complain. What I have found with worshiping is this: my focus is always on the One who loves me and is for me when I worship. What a difference!
In Acts 16:22-24, we see Paul and Silas in a desperate and even dangerous circumstance. They are stripped, beaten, and thrown into prison. In the jail cell they are put in shackles and closely guarded. If anyone had reasons to complain, it would have been Paul and Silas. However, Acts 16:25 shows us something different. Paul and Silas chose to worship rather than complain. They prayed to God. They sang to God. They worshiped! They did not focus on the blood flowing from their wounds. They did not focus on the walls that enclosed them. They did not focus on the shackles on their feet. They focused on the God who loved them! They focused on the God who was for them and not against them! How can I say that? Just look at what happened. Acts 16 goes on to tell us that "the other prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16 tells us that "a violent earthquake" shook the foundations and the prison doors flew open. Did the prisoner run out? Did all hell break loose? Almost. The jailer drew out his sword and was about to kill himself because he assumed everyone escaped. However, Paul was there. He shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer's response to what he heard and what he saw as a result of Paul and Silas worshiping rather than complaining is powerful: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" The rest of the story is that the jailer brought them to his own home, and they preached the gospel. They worshiped. And the jailer's entire household became believers!
I don't know when I will be allowed to get off this emotional and spiritual and physical rollercoaster. I don't know how much more adversity I will face at this point in my life. But I do know this: I have a choice in how I can respond to any and all adversity. I can complain...outwardly or inwardly or both, or I can worship...outwardly or inwardly or both. What I see in the Scripture is that my choice not only impacts me, but it impacts others as well. Lord, please help me believe in what You are doing. Lord, please give me the strength to worship You where I am. Lord, hear my words today: I WILL WORSHIP YOU! I will focus on You and Your great love for me. I will focus on the truth that You are for me and not against me. Lord, please help me today. I WILL WORSHIP YOU!
In his book, Chase the Lion, Mark Batterson says, "I think there are two basic types of people in the world: complainers and worshipers. Complainers can always find something to complain about, but worshipers can always find something to praise God about." Wow! Those are powerful words. And whether I complain outwardly to my wife, to my kids, or to my friends, or whether I complain inwardly to myself, it is still complaining. And what I have found with complaining is this: my focus is always on the problem or problems when I complain. What I have found with worshiping is this: my focus is always on the One who loves me and is for me when I worship. What a difference!
In Acts 16:22-24, we see Paul and Silas in a desperate and even dangerous circumstance. They are stripped, beaten, and thrown into prison. In the jail cell they are put in shackles and closely guarded. If anyone had reasons to complain, it would have been Paul and Silas. However, Acts 16:25 shows us something different. Paul and Silas chose to worship rather than complain. They prayed to God. They sang to God. They worshiped! They did not focus on the blood flowing from their wounds. They did not focus on the walls that enclosed them. They did not focus on the shackles on their feet. They focused on the God who loved them! They focused on the God who was for them and not against them! How can I say that? Just look at what happened. Acts 16 goes on to tell us that "the other prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16 tells us that "a violent earthquake" shook the foundations and the prison doors flew open. Did the prisoner run out? Did all hell break loose? Almost. The jailer drew out his sword and was about to kill himself because he assumed everyone escaped. However, Paul was there. He shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer's response to what he heard and what he saw as a result of Paul and Silas worshiping rather than complaining is powerful: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" The rest of the story is that the jailer brought them to his own home, and they preached the gospel. They worshiped. And the jailer's entire household became believers!
I don't know when I will be allowed to get off this emotional and spiritual and physical rollercoaster. I don't know how much more adversity I will face at this point in my life. But I do know this: I have a choice in how I can respond to any and all adversity. I can complain...outwardly or inwardly or both, or I can worship...outwardly or inwardly or both. What I see in the Scripture is that my choice not only impacts me, but it impacts others as well. Lord, please help me believe in what You are doing. Lord, please give me the strength to worship You where I am. Lord, hear my words today: I WILL WORSHIP YOU! I will focus on You and Your great love for me. I will focus on the truth that You are for me and not against me. Lord, please help me today. I WILL WORSHIP YOU!
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