Worship your way through it

Mon, 17 Jun 2024

‘But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.’ Acts 16:25

Don’t allow what’s wrong with you to keep you from worshipping what’s right with God. With their feet locked in stocks, their backs lacerated with whips, and the unjust contempt of society heaped upon them, the Bible says, ‘At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.’ They decided to stop focusing on what was wrong with their circumstances and start focusing on what is right with God. They could have complained, but they made a choice to worship God despite their external circumstances. And that is often the most challenging and crucial choice we can make. It’s similar to hitting the refresh key on your computer. Doing so restores the joy of your salvation, recalibrates your spirit, and renews your mind. And it empowers you to discover something good to praise God about, even when everything seems to be going wrong.

Is it simple? Definitely not. But one of the purest forms of worship is praising God when you don’t want to. ‘Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name’ (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV). Note the words ‘sacrifice of praise’. And it’s a sacrifice that moves God and brings results: ‘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 loosed’ (Acts 16:26 NKJV). When you’re in a situation with no way out, praise opens doors. When you’re shackled by lack and limitation, praise breaks chains. So, worship your way through it.