To me, one of the most fascinating stories in all of scripture is the story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16. Having been chained and imprisoned for sharing the truth of Jesus, I would expect them to wallow in at least a moment of self-pity. If it were me, I would have spent the majority of my day grumbling with God about how I ended up here on His behalf. But if you know their story, you know their response: Worship. Scripture tells us that quite literally right after they were “severely flogged” and chained to the floor of their dungeon cell… they sang hymns to God (Acts 16:25-26). They worshipped Him.
It would tempting to consider Paul and Silas just two men of faith (which they were), while also thinking they were unlike any of us (which they also probably were). But I think that would be a disservice to the lesson that can be learned for all believers: that it is possible to have a heart of worship that is consistent, even when life is not. What these two men knew, that we often forget, was that God is good and worthy of praise in every season. They were so confident in this fact, that worship came naturally to them. All of this in a season where it likely wouldn’t come naturally for the rest of us.
My guess would be, if you’re human, you have faced a season when worship feels impossible and inauthentic. Maybe you’re in that season right now. Let me encourage you to cling to the truth we know – and worship because of it.
First, we worship God because of who He is. The pages of scripture are chock-full of the worthiness of God for worship. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and end, the first and last, the creator of the ground we walk on, and the supplier of the air we breathe. He is good. He is loving. He is all-knowing and all-surpassing. He is our healer, our savior, our friend. He is God. And the very truth of who He is should cause our hearts to sit in awe of Him. And sometimes, when our own difficulties and heartbreaks cause us to doubt the truth and the greatness of God, we need to take our eyes off ourselves and place them on Him. We need to remind our hearts that He is good and faithful and worthy of praise (Psalm 145:3).
Aside from who He is, we can also turn our hearts to what He has done. Our lives, in and of themselves, are a testament to His loving faithfulness to us. Our blessings, both big and small, solely come from Him (James 1:17). If you need a bigger lens, simply look to the stories we find in scripture: The work of Jesus on your behalf, the miracles bestowed on those who love Him, and the beauty of His creation that was given to us to enjoy. When you find yourself short on worship, remind yourself of the acts of the One you worship.
Then, turn your heart to what He promises will be fulfilled. Sometimes, our praise is one of our greatest acts of faith. We turn our hearts to worship because we trust what His Word promises to come. If you spend just a moment reading the words of one of the greatest worshippers to ever live, you’ll find that David was often praising God for the promises he believed in. He would open his Psalm lamenting whatever circumstance plagued him at the time, and then he would turn his eyes to the promises of God. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” David famously penned, “I will not fear for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). Though I haven’t seen the other side yet, I trust in you. You have promised to be faithful, and I trust you even in this.
As you consider the worship of your own life—both your Sunday morning praise and your weekly heart posture—how well do you reflect a heart centered on the truth of God? If you find yourself in a season where true worship of God is difficult for you, what truth have you forgotten? Maybe you need to take some moments with God and remind yourself of who He is: His simple majesty, power, and wonder. Maybe you need to remind yourself of the faithfulness He has shown you in your life—the times He showed up when you needed Him most. Or maybe, you need to cling to the promises He has made, knowing He will be faithful to complete them (Philippians 1:6). And once you have reminded your heart, worship.
Please do not forget the end of Paul and Silas’s story. What did their praise in prison accomplish? Freedom. The prison doors “flew open wide” (Acts 16:26). Could it be that the prison you find yourself in, whether in circumstance, mindset or otherwise, could be remedied with a heart of worship? What would take place in your life if you allowed yourself to fix your mind on God – to consider all that He is, all that He has done, and all that He has promised He will do? It could just unlock the things you have felt chained to and give you freedom like you never thought possible.
Cover photo by Rachel Coyne on Unsplash
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