Why did Paul and Silas stay?

In Acts 16 Paul and Silas encountered a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination who followed them around for days, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Paul in his annoyance, said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” This slave girl was set free. Paul and Silas had angered her owners. God’s will always interrupts the plans of man. Paul and Silas are arrested having their naked bodies beaten and thrown in jail, and put in stocks.  At midnight they started praying and singing songs to the Lord. Then came a great earthquake that shook the foundation. Doors were opened and chains were loosed. While the Prison guard was about to take his life… Paul cried out and said we are all still here. The outcome: the prison guard and his family were saved and baptized! I used to often times ask myself the question, “Why did Paul & Silas stay?” Their chains had been loosed. The prison doors were open. It seemed like a perfect opportunity for freedom. I think most of us today would seize it as a perfect opportunity to escape. We would say of course it had to be God, He has delivered me! But Paul and Silas understood the ways of their Heavenly Father. They trusted that Our Father has plans to prosper us and not to bring harm. They understood that God was showing them something. He was demonstrating his Greatness to Paul and Silas, the fellow prisoners, and to us today. They understood that it was God who had set them free. But they also knew that even if the physical chains were no longer holding them there that they were still bound to Christ. God had them there for a reason, and even though it was not easy they trusted God. They allowed the desire to be set free to be overruled by God’s desire to see prisoners set free spiritually.  Their love for God and passion that they had to see God’s word furthered kept them there. They were no longer bound by chains but bound by their love for God. That’s the freedom that we have in Christ. Jesus Christ demonstrates this freedom at Calvary. He was not held by nails but by God’s love for us. His passion for us is revealed. Jesus gave his life for ours but will we give our lives for him?

 Note: Sometimes we will find ourselves in hospitals, prisons, etc. in seemingly "unfortunate" situations...but they are really opportunities for the Gospel to be furthered. He has annointed us to preach the gospel.

Phillipians 1: 12-14 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Aggravation!

In this life you will be faced with people who have a tendency to get under your skin. Some may do it unintentionally while others do it very intentionally. Maybe they lie about you, maybe they do deceiving things to harm you or your reputation. And this kind of situation can be aggravating, heartbreaking, and frustrating. But rejoice, because even then God is doing a work in you. Whenever there is opposition, It means you are doing something right. His work is never done. And the work He started must be completed.
Sometimes we may want to run to a person’s arms of comfort. But they can’t provide the comfort that only comes from our Father in Heaven. We may want to take justice into our own hands or put justice into somebody else’s but it is only God who judges the motives of a heart. So we must not try to play the part of God. If God has allowed it He will use it to bring Glory to Himself. So what do we do? You may ask. We wait upon the Lord and we take it to Him in prayer. Only he can deal with the hearts of the hard hearted and prideful.  And He is the one who guides us into His ways of truth and honor. He is the one that sustains. He is the one who protects his children. He is the one that even warns us when someone wants to do harm to us.
But you see, if we were never put in harms way or put in a situation where we would be aggravated or hurt then we would never know  the Character or the Greatness of our God. If we lived a life of comfort and we were never uncomfortable then we probably would not pursue a deeper relationship with Him. How could our love grow If we were never tested? So many times I have had an emotional response to a situation like this..thinking that it was unfair and that I should have immediate justice. But even then God knew how I would react and He knows that my emotions sometimes get in the way. So with every situation that seems negative He is actually cleansing me of  selfishness and freeing me from my own emotions. We must remember that we are not led by our emotions but by the Spirit of the Living God. God is our perfect vindicator. So hand it over to Him. God is in control!

Are you uncomfortable?

Jesus came to provide comfort for the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. Today, you may feel down or  just very uncomfortable in your present situation. Maybe life is not turning out as planned. Maybe you are having to step out of your comfort zone to make ends meet. Whatever the circumstance is if you are uncomfortable then that is exactly the right place to be. Although it is tempting to moan and groan when we are going through hard situations..we must rejoice because God is doing a work in us…discomfort means growth. Discomfort means you will never again be the same. Christ says follow me. When you choose to follow him you will be uncomfortable and you will at times feel inadequate but during those times rely fully on God. He will lead you through..He didn’t promise it would be a piece of cake..but He promised peace in your present circumstance. A peace that surpasses all understanding. A peace that when people look at you and know your present circumstance that they will say Huh? And wonder by what power you are being sustained. The Power of God alone sustains and gives supernatural ability to endure. Being uncomfortable can make you want to cry, maybe make you nauseous but the more opportunities you have to be uncomfortable you will want to shout and rejoice because you know God is fulfilling the work that He promised to do in your life. Sometimes if we are not shaken we will refuse to move. In our pursuit of God it’s required for us to be uncomfortable because He is taking us from Glory to Glory..Whoo! Have a Blessed day and find rest in knowing   Romans 8:28-30 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.