Got Adversity? Pray & Sing Praises!

Acts 16:25-33 (KJV)

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed , and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken : and immediately all the doors were opened , and every one's bands were loosed .

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open , he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled .

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying , Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in , and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said , Sirs, what must I do to be saved ?

31 And they said , Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved , and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes ; and was baptized , he and all his, straightway.

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Just because you are faced with adversity doesn't mean that you are not where you are supposed to be or that you are out of the will of God. If you trust God in everything, you will realize that He has a purpose for your adversity. And, that He is more powerful than your adversity. Who knows, the "prison of your adversity" may be what it takes to reach someone else. Look at Paul & Silas. They were imprisoned for preaching about Jesus. And at midnight (during the darkest hour) they prayed and sang praises. God turned their situation around and they were able to make a difference in the lives of the jailer and all his family.

Psalm 30:5b says, "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  We quote this and remember it in our dark times.  But, something has to happen between that midnight hour and the morning.  We might as well learn to praise and worship our way to victory and joy!

Over the last several weeks, it seems that we have been hit from various directions.  But, I was reminded of Job.  He had lost everything...his livestock, crops, children.  But in his time of mourning, the Word of God says in Job 1:20-21, "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave , and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."  This has went over and over in my mind the last several weeks.  So, when I would start to get discouraged, I would pray, sing praises to and worship God.  And, time after time God showed me that He WAS in control and that He DOES supply ALL our needs.  I know that whatever I am faced with, I can trust HIM to supply my every need.  There is no problem too big or too small for my God.  With Him ALL things are possible!  

And, yesterday the message at church was from Acts chapter 16.  God was just confirming and reminding me that praise and worship is the key to victory.  I am SO thankful for a God that cares about me and takes care of our every need.  ♥