Rejoice!!

Have you ever been going through something horrible and someone quotes the Bible verse: Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. ? I’m not gonna lie, I don’t like that. Why? Well I’m usually thinking about who’s saying it. I just want to ask them; if you were going through what I’m going through would you rejoice? Paul and his friend Silas had just been stripped and beaten with rods and through into a dungeon with their feet chained up. It was dark and dirty and cold. Acts 16 tells us that they were praying and singing praises to God. Then a violent earthquake happened and all their chains fell off. The guy guarding them nearly killed himself because he thought they had escaped but Paul stopped him.

Notice that Paul and Silas were not waiting until God delivered them from their trouble to sing praises. Do you think they were praising God for the situation? I think they were praising God because of who he is! They didn’t like the situation but they loved Jesus. Even though a few minutes before they were free and preaching the gospel, now they found themselves in dire trouble. Likely execution. Yet they praised God. They understood what we need to. God is good. God is holy. God is just. God is love. All the time!! Yes! Even when our circumstances go from great to disaster in a split second, God does not change! He still deserves our praise. Notice also what the end result was. The jailor and his family were saved and baptized. Paul and Silas were cleaned up and back preaching! After they praised!! Life is gonna give us some bad stuff my friends. If we are going to tell our friends to rejoice in the Lord in their troubles, let’s make sure that we, like Paul and Silas, are going to praise Him in ours!!

Thank you Father for men like your servants, Paul and Silas, who have led by example. They praised you for being you even before you answered their prayers!!

Rejoice in the always. Again I say rejoice!!