Acts 16:22-28 “The crowd joined in the attack of Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be flogged and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!””
I really disappoint myself sometimes when I really think about the minor things that I find to complain about. I don’t know about you, but if I were just severely beaten and thrown into the inner cell of a prison the last thing on my mind would be singing and praising the Lord. I have a hard enough time finding something to praise God about when something small like getting a flat tire happens to me. Paul and Silas kept a heart of praise and thankfulness through one of the most difficult situations imaginable. When God saw their praises, he sent an earthquake so strong that it broke every chain and opened every door in the prison, but Paul and Silas didn’t run to freedom like almost every other human being would. They didn’t run when the prison doors were opened? Seriously?? Who would do that? Not me, I would have been out of there faster than a bolt of lightning! Instead these two men recognized a ministry opportunity, and later they led the jailer and his entire family to salvation through Jesus Christ! Take some time to think about the miniscule things that we find throughout the day to complain about. Now think about how minor they really are and just how little you accomplish when you complain about them. I challenge you to keep a heart of praise through every situation, good or bad, that you encounter. I promise you won’t regret it, and it won’t go unnoticed in the eyes of our Father. God bless!
