Late Night Praise And Worship

“But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God…” (Acts 16:25).

Paul and Silas made a great missionary team, didn’t they?  What godly men they must have been!  After working all day, serving the Lord by sharing the gospel in Philippi, they still take time for a late night praise and worship session.  Gathered around the campfire, sipping a latte, and giving thanks to God.  It doesn’t get much better than that, right?  Maybe so, but it can get a lot worse…

If you know your New Testament well, you are familiar with the immediate context of the partial verse listed above.  But if not, allow me to refresh your memory.  “The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods.  When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.  But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them…” (Acts 16:22-25).

Perhaps you, like me, find it difficult to praise God in the painful times of life.  I’ve never experienced anything like Paul and Silas did in Philippi, but yet I still find it easier to grumble and complain instead of praising and worshiping God.  Maybe I need to reflect more carefully on what James encouraged his readers to do: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Lord, please help me to view my struggles as opportunities to build my endurance and maturity.  May I learn to deal with adversity like my brothers Paul and Silas.

God loves you!

Mike