So much could be said about this story and really about all of Paul’s ministry. After his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, Paul exemplified a pious life struggling through hardships, obstacles, and condescension from others; devout and debased alike. Throughout his letters we see a constant challenge to focus on the goodness of God and finding the things that are worthy of our praise in the midst of our problems (see Philippians 4:8). Here in Acts 16 we see Paul practicing what he preaches. We see a power at work that is available to us and is a catalyst for change.
Paul and Silas are ministering together proclaiming salvation through faith in Jesus and are suddenly followed by a slave girl. This girl makes money for her owners through fortune telling which Paul recognizes as an unclean spirit. As they are preaching she cries out behind them “these men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” Paul has enough and finally speaks to the demonic spirit to come out of the girl, which it did, and this angers the men making a profit off of this girl. Her “gift” of fortune telling is now gone along with their financial future. They quickly form a mob, make accusations against Paul and Silas, have them beaten and thrown in jail.
Many lessons can be taken away from these first few verses of the story, as well as the latter few ending on verse 40, but I want to zoom in to verses 25 and 26 as we see Paul’s character and commitment to praising through his problems:
“Around midnight, Paul and Silas were cleaning each other’s wounds and complaining about their situation…” at least that’s what verse 25 could have said. Instead we see a shining example of living out our Christian faith. Paul is a Roman citizen wrongly accused of violating the free speech laws of Rome that applied to its citizens but not extended to foreigners. He is stripped naked, beaten, and unduly imprisoned without a fair trial for which he is afforded under the laws of Rome as a Roman citizen. Recognizing the context of the situation Paul and Silas find themselves in, it is an amazing reminder of the power of our choices. It is also a humbling challenge to redirect our focus on God no matter the circumstance.
In the midst of the physical pain they must have felt, the frustration of a social system stacked against them, emotional and mental faculties not at their prime, Paul and Silas redirect their focus to God. Instead of focusing on the problem, they faithfully focus on the problem solver. They do this with sincere worship.
Prayer and praise transforms our predicament into a positive experience. It may not always get us out of our situation but it will always get us through. Worship may not change the reality of the problems we’re facing but it will change our reaction to them. When we focus on God we can recognize the praiseworthy things in the midst of our problems because we have His peace( see Philippians 4:7).
One other thing to note in verse 26 is that in direct reaction to their sincere worship, God caused an earthquake that allowed the prison walls to fall and the prisoner’s bonds to break. They didn’t immediately run away from the place of their bondage, but stayed in order to share their testimony and the good news of salvation with others. Specifically, the jailer whom Paul and Silas prevented from committing suicide and whom also invited them to dinner which led to the salvation of his entire family.
-“Instead of focusing on the problem, they faithfully focus on the
problem solver. They do this with sincere worship.”
Our situations, problems, temptations, or even people can be chains keeping us in bondage if we let them. Instead, we can focus on God. Worship is a choice. When we worship, God moves and chains break. When we pray and praise God in the midst of our cancer, our discomfort, our anger, our pain, He brings healing and peace. When we refocus on God in the midst of our addiction, our perversion, or temptation and blatant sin, He restores. We may find ourselves in bondage of our own doing; consequences to the decisions we made. We may find ourselves bound through no fault of our own, but due to the effect of sin on the world and all within it. God may allow us to go through something, to be in a place of bondage for a season, in order to free us to minister. To show grace and love in a place where others are bound as well.
When you are faced with a big problem, pause for a moment and worship a bigger God.
Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10 KJV
Everyday Chivalry 