August 21, 2023
Melissa Valerio
It’s easy to sing a song of praise in joyous circumstances, right? When everything is going well. But try singing a song of praise through the tears of heartache. Or the paralyzing pain of physical trauma. Who would be strong enough to do such a thing? And where does that strength come from, anyway?
Ask Paul and Silas. They’d tell you their strength came from Jesus. After being beaten, whipped with chains, rods, and nails, then put in prison with their feet in wooden stocks, nothing could keep them from spilling praise out of their mouths. All through the early night they prayed and sang songs of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord.
“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. Now about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were unfastened.” (Acts 16:23-26)
What would drive a man to praise God in those circumstances? It’s because he trusted in God’s sovereignty and goodness. He knew the situation he found himself in was exactly where God wanted him to be. He knew he was right in the middle of the will of God. That gave him comfort and hope, regardless of his physical circumstances. What a lesson we can learn from this! Are we worshiping and thanking God right where we are today? Especially if it’s in a valley — in a time and place of darkness where pain surrounds you and consumes your emotions? It’s the hardest thing to do, praising God through a trial. But it speaks of our will and increases our faith. And who knows who’s watching and listening? There may be someone forming an opinion of God based on our response to our pain and our prison. Let’s show them Who our strength comes from, and prayerfully, they will be drawn to Jesus through their trials as well.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You deserve song and praise every day of every year. We would never have enough time to sing of all the things You’ve done. But we can certainly try. Our hearts sing of Your steadfast love, faithfulness to Your very own, ultimate control of our lives, and Your undying love for eternity. May our mouths overflow what our hearts are full of. In the precious name of Your son, Amen.
Action: Sing a song to the Lord. Sing of thanksgiving for what He’s done in your life. Sing of all the ways He shows His love. Sing of all the sins He’s washed away. Sing anything you can think of to show your gratitude and love to the One who is worthy of praise, in good times and bad.