08/01/2021
WORSHIP DESPITE HARDSHIP
"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose." - Acts 16:25-26
To read these verses without reading the preceding ones would rob them of their powerful meaning. Not only were Paul and Silas imprisoned, but it said on verse 23 "After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully." This is a situation when an average person would pretty much curse God or at least question Him and ask why this is happening to him/her. However, Paul and Silas did the exact opposite and actually worshipped! It is worth noting that this was not the only time they were imprisoned and perhaps worshipped, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this is praise in action. They only wanted to worship God and actually rejoiced in their suffering. Let us take a great lesson from this and recognize that hardship is not a reason to abandon God, but even more of a reason to worship Him!