When You Get in Trouble, Sing!

Acts 16:16-34 It might be a little better to say, “When you get into trouble for doing a good thing, sing.” When you get into trouble for doing the wrong thing, then it’s time to repent. Paul and Silas were on the second of three recorded missionary journeys and they inadvertently put some men out business. These men had been making a lot of money at the expense of a young lady that had a demon spirit who was able to tell fortunes. When Paul cast the demon out of her, she no longer was able to tell fortunes. The business men were not at all happy, so they took Paul and Silas to court and by making up some charges, had them put in jail. So, what does one do when they have been beaten and put into a dark cell and locked in stocks? Instead of doing like we probably would do, set there and try to figure just how or when we were going to get out, or complain about being mistreated, they prayed and sang hymns to God. They practiced Mat. 6:33, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” I don't believe that they had any idea of how God would respond, they just knew that whatever God caused or allowed to happen, it would be the right thing. God choose to send an earthquake which broke their stocks and the prison door. It led to the salvation of the jailer and his whole family as well as their release from prison. Verse 25 says that the other prisoners listened to them — one might wonder just how many of them were saved because of this incident and the way Paul and Silas' response to it to sing praise in times of trouble indicates that we trust God to do what’s right, whatever that might consist of. His response is always far better and more far reaching for good than anything we could have ever thought of. — Trust Him and sing.