Glorifying God in times of suffering
Glorifying God in Times of Suffering
In Acts 16 v 16 – 21 we read how the Apostle Paul and his fellow co-worker Silas were dragged before the magistrates for setting a girl free from a spirit that deprived her owners from making any more money through her. Through this we learn that not everyone celebrates your freedom, and the opposition to your freedom can be very hostile.
“The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods. And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailor to guard them securely. On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet to the stocks. Acts 16 v 22 – 24
Both Paul and Silas would have been justified in their contempt for the humiliating injustice they suffered. They could have been angry, resentful, and bitter. They could have felt pitiful and sorry for themselves. They could have blamed God and turned their backs on Him. They could have muttered, moaned, and cursed. They did none of these things but choose instead, in the spirit of unity, to do something incomprehensible to our natural human understanding. They choose to glorify God in their sufferings through prayer and praise. They were rejoicing in their continued hope in God.
The Apostle Paul said:
“Not only that but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” Romans 5 v 3 – 4
The hardship of their experience was character building. Like Daniel in the lion’s den, like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace – they were not alone. There was not two but three of them in the prison because the Holy Spirit was within them.
Later in his ministry, the Apostle Paul was able to use his prison experience to speak to the church at Corinth:
“Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you harmony with one another in Christ Jesus, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15 v 5 – 6
Glorifying God requires unity. The language of glorification is simple – rejoicing, praying, and thanking! We can all do that. The more we rejoice, pray and give thanks, the more joy our soul experiences as we continue to put our hope and confidence in our God, and the more lives are impacted as they marvel at our joy in the midst of challenging circumstances. Such impact can transform their lives, as we read in the case of Paul and Silas.
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At one all the doors flew open and everyone’s chain came loose.” Acts 16 v 25 – 26
When they choose to glorify God in their imprisonment, it shifted everyone’s focus from dwelling on their predicaments to hearing the praises of our Father God. They choose to listen to something new and extraordinary. As Paul and Silas glorified God it brought His presence into the shared atmosphere and environment of everyone. Prayer and praise, worship and thanksgiving are disruptive. They impact and change their surrounds. They allow the supernatural to breakthrough into the natural realm of our lives.
The choice of their response to their shared situation caused God to intervene and act on their behalf. They acted first by refusing to be silent. They were vocal in making God bigger and higher than their circumstances, so He shook the foundations of their imprisonment in response to the fact that He still held the position of first in their lives. When you choose to glorify God, He will shake deep rooted foundations that have dominated your mindset, your actions, and your lifestyle. He will even shake the physical foundations of entrapment for those who need physical freedom – but you need to believe and act on what you believe through glorifying God as you wait. I know from personal experiences that prayer changes things and praise bring freedom and contentment within our spirit.
Even in prison Paul and Silas never lost their focus or their purpose. Who knows what they may have prayed, but it may have included prayer for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom purposes:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6 v 9 – 10
Not being afraid to pray, praise, worship and glorify God brings opportunities for others to choose salvation through Jesus Christ. They understood the power of being spiritually free in a physical place of confinement and darkness.
“Calling for light, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then Paul and Silas spoke the words of the Lord to him and to everyone in the house. At that hour of the night, the jailor took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptised. Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So, he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.” Acts 16 v 29 – 24
God turned Paul and Silas’s confinement into His assignment. How and when was the jailor ever going to have an opportunity to have an appointment with the eternal purposes of God for his life? When we go through challenges in our lives let us remember that our Father God sees beyond the immediacy of our challenges to help us grow spiritually and to awaken others to His presence and His freewill gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is a win-win situation, if we will glorify His Name.
The jailor’s appointment with the divine, impacted and changed his heart and his actions:
- Hopelessness was replaced with hopefulness
- Unbelief turned to belief
- Meanness became meekness
- Cruelty became caring
- Hostility gave way to humility
- Hate was exchanged for compassion
- Disagreement turned to agreement
- Aloofness became a willingness for fellowship
- Selfishness was replaced with openness and a willingness to share
- A closed door made room for the open door of hospitality
- Resignation became a place of overwhelming joy
He was transformed, he was happy and he was justified!
In the darkest hour of the day, this jailor experienced the greatest freedom of his life. This is what the Apostle Paul said:
“Therefore, since we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5 v 1 – 2
The jailor could rejoice and be thankful to our Father God for His salvation received through Jesus Christ and for His peace. The jailor was in the right place, at the right time – prison!!!
Let us pray for those who are confined and for those who work within the prison systems around the world, and for those who work in prison ministries. Let us pray that like Paul and Silas, there will be many opportunities for the freewill gift of salvation through Jesus Christ to be heard and for lives to be transformed.
“It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jews and Greek. The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, for Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10 v 11 – 13
There is no place where our Father God’s light cannot shine. There is no place where His presence cannot be felt. He will meet you anywhere and everywhere when you glorify His Name.
The jailor received the freewill gift of salvation because Paul and Silas did not sit dwelling on their injustices. They had hearts overflowing with the grace of forgiveness and the compassionate love of Jesus Christ. They did not focus on the jailor’ rank, position or authority over them, but on the condition of his heart when he approached them in a state of fear but seeking their counsel and advice. They were still living their lives, (although in the natural it appeared to be a place of restriction) in alignment with the Holy Spirit. They recognised and accepted that the jailor was in as much need and had as much right to receive salvation as anyone else.
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order, to bring glory to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written:
“Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles. I will sing hymns to your Name.” Romans 15 v 7 – 9
That is exactly what Paul and Silas did. This is the attitude and actions we should express towards our Father God and towards those who directly and indirectly treat us with injustice and contempt.
Pray for them! And if you cannot or will not pray for them, ask our Father God to give you the desire, the will, and the ability to pray for them. Jesus Christ said:
“But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6 v 27 – 28
Let that be our mission today and everyday – to love, to do good, to bless and to pray, so the Name of Jesus Christ can be lifted high and our Father God glorified.
Amen xxx