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.