Praising God in the Middle of Trials

 'About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.' – Acts 16:25

The story of Paul and Silas is just one of the numerous examples of how God delivers those who choose to fix their eyes on Him in the midst of trials, persecution and challenges of this world. Perhaps you are caught in one of these storms of life, and you don't know how you could ever overcome them on your own with no lasting or reliable help; if that's you, then the deliverance of Paul and Silas from prison cells will encourage you to remain steadfast in Christ Jesus.

In Acts chapter 16, while Paul and Silas were in Philippi, they were met with a female slave possessed by an evil spirit. Since she could predict the future, her owners used her to earn money through fortune-telling. When Paul cast the demon out of the slave girl, her owners were angered by the loss of profits they would have earned from the slave girl. 

These men went ahead and arrested Paul and Silas, dragged them through the marketplace, falsely accused them, brought them before magistrates, stripped them naked, and then publicly flogged them with rods. And after they had been severely beaten, they were thrown in prison. And if that wasn't enough, they had them locked up in the inner cell and their feet locked in stocks to restrain their movements or escape.

In verse 25, the scriptures read, 'About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.' Looking at the ordeal they both went through earlier during the day, Paul and Silas must have been worn out, hurt, and still nursing wounds after the severe beating they received. But at midnight, they found the strength to pray and sing hymns to God. 

The scripture noted that the time was midnight. The word midnight indicates the middle part of the night. Normally, at midnight, it is usually dark and quiet. Paul and Silas were in the middle of their storm, that is, during their darkest moments in life, and yet they chose to pray. While in the middle, they found it necessary to sing songs of praise to God. 

When we go through the storm, through the difficult time and season, it is in the middle that things really start to get difficult; it is in the middle when we get tempted to give up, and it's in the middle -the midnight- that we are at our weakest point. What you decide to do while in the middle often changes the course of your life.

Paul and Silas, while still in the middle of their persecution, when their bodies were worn out and sore, they chose to fix their eyes on Jesus. Rather than taking the broader road of complaining, feeling self-pity, feeling bitter and giving up, they both chose to pray and give praise in the middle of it all.  It's like they were saying, 'The pain may be too great to bear, but I still have one more reason to sing songs of praise to God.' It is like they had their minds already made up, that whether they make it out alive or not, they would do it with a joyful and grateful heart.

In verse 26, we read that suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, and immediately all the prison doors flew open. Paul and Silas' enemies thought that by putting them in prison, they had won, that the chains of prison would hold them for good, but they were wrong. The enemy may have managed to put them in prison, but not their prayers; they may have had their bodies beaten and crushed, but not their spirit to worship. Their enemies tried to silence them, but they couldn't stop them from singing hymns to God. 

My encouragement to you is that, in whatever situation you may be in, however difficult it may look or seem, don't give up. Fix your eyes on Jesus and not on what the enemy is trying to make you see. While in the middle, you can look up to Jesus and give him praise and thank him that He's right there with you, to strengthen you, and to sustain you with His peace as you walk through the storm.  

Paul and Silas prayed and praised God in hymns because they knew and believed they were never alone. You may have prayed and not seen any change yet, but that shouldn't stop you from remaining steadfast in God. As God promised in Hebrews 13:5, 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you,' you are not alone; God is working behind the scenes on your behalf. You may not always see Him work, but you can always thank Him for what He's done. 

We are also reminded to remain firm during our trying times while looking to the good things that are in store for us. In 1 Peter 5:10, 'After you have suffered a little while, he will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.'

Paul himself goes ahead and writes, 'We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.'-  2 Corinthians 4:8-9.

The term midnight not only indicates the middle part of the night, but also the beginning of a new day. Those dark moments that usually feel like it's the end for you, but to God, it is just the beginning of a new day for you. Psalm 30:5 says,' Weeping may endure for a night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.' Something good is coming your way. Keep praising God even when you don't see anything happening. Your present circumstances shouldn't put you down, but let your prayers and praises to God shake and break every foundation of the enemy.