About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. Acts 16:25-26
Over the past few days we’ve been talking about how praising God causes us to become more conscious of his presence, which creates the ideal environment for us to live our lives. Not only does praise cause us to become more aware of God’s love, peace and joy, but it also creates an atmosphere where the miraculous can happen.
The events in Acts 16 illustrate this point very well. After angering the owners of a slave-girl by casting the fortune-telling spirit out of her, Paul and Silas were dragged before the authorities, beaten with rods, and thrown into a dungeon. Bleeding and broken, the two men decided to start singing praises to God around midnight.
Now, I’m sure that these two men didn’t feel like praising God. Yet as they were singing, an earthquake began to shake the foundations of the prison, and miraculously every prison door was opened.
Praise strengthens and releases faith. It creates an atmosphere where we can experience the miraculous. The trouble is, we often don’t feel like praising God when we need it most. We’re worried unhappy, upset, and filled with fear. We’re hurt so we’re angry, disappointed and resentful. The last thing we feel like doing is counting our blessings, but that’s exactly when we need to praise God most.
Is praising God the last thing on your mind today? If so, chances are you need it most!