I’m one of those people who loves to plan. Every year, I buy a new planner thinking it will somehow change my life. (It never does.) Then there are the planning apps I use to keep track of work, the house cleaning, and what we’re eating for dinner. This all drives my husband crazy, I’m sure.
But there is only so much in life that we can actually plan and control. A planner can’t show you an unexpected phone conversation with an old friend. Or tell you the week your kids will be sick and home from school. A planner can’t show us the opportunities God will bring our way before they happen. But God often does amazing things through those unexpected detours.
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are on their way to prayer, when they encounter a detour of their own (Acts 16:16). The spirit inside the fortune-telling girl knew the truth about God’s power, and she followed them for days saying the same thing over and over. Eventually, Paul cast the spirit out of her (v.18). Her master’s response? They were furious to lose their livelihood, and took Paul and Silas to the chief magistrates, who threw them in prison (v.23). Now, Paul and Silas could choose to be angry and frustrated. They could feel bad for themselves, or stress about the fact that their plans were thrown off track. They could keep to themselves and be rude to the other prisoners. But that’s not what they did.
Instead, they used where God placed them as an opportunity.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
—Acts 16:25
In a frustrating situation, they praised God. Paul and Silas prayed. They recounted what they know about who God is. At midnight, they worshipped. The best part about this whole thing? “The prisoners were listening to them” (v.25)
Paul and Silas’s direct response to their situation was faith. And because of how they chose to respond, they end up leading an entire family to the Lord (vv.32–34). A midnight deliverance probably isn’t what anyone expected. But the unexpected is often where God shows up and does the miraculous.
Maybe you’re like me—you don’t like disruptions, distractions, or things that mess up your plans. But I’m learning that sometimes, God uses our daylight disruptions to bring midnight deliverance. That means our response matters, even in the inconvenient moments of life. Our perseverance and faith in our hopeless moments are actually a way we can bring glory to God.
In the dark spots of our life situations, in the disruptions to our best plans, we have a choice to either praise or complain. Will we be found praising God?
I love that God is in control even when things don’t go according to our plan and things seem to be out of control. I pray that during those times, I would still be seen praising him. ❤️
Can someone make it more clear for me how the girl’s words were undermining Paul? I know that they were and it was coming from an evil spirit, but I cannot seem to put it into words. I love the comment from Joyce Myers “complain remain…Praise be raised” I can be a complainer. Lord please help me to break this ugly habit. I want to praise You! I too love journals, yet barely write in them. I have learned living with illness that our plans can turn on a dime. I’ve learned to flow with it. What I need to learn now is to find God in those turns.
Praying for all the requests today.
Thanks for sharing Joyce Meyer’s quote Becky K. It’s short and catchy, and maybe it will stick in my head when I start to complain! I’m also praying for you, AB. May God pour out His favor over you as you praise His name even as you mourn the loss of your baby. Prayers for healing and answered prayers for the future. Praying Kathy for your student that he would turn to Jesus and for safety from satan’s attacks. Melanie, I’m praying for your doctor’s appt that they would have wisdom and knowledge to help relieve your pain. I am keeping you all in my prayers.
Amen to this incredible passage and the wonderful devotional. AB- my heart is breaking for you yet I am so glad to know you are turning to God in this moment. I had a miscarriage in April of this year and at first I was so angry with God all I could do was cry and try to escape the unbearable pain. In retrospect I’m not proud of my initial reaction but God brought me back to Him and closer to Him than I have ever been. I am praying for you dear sister. Arina, thank you for your prayers for us. I complain ALL the time, mostly in a light hearted way but still complaining and I pray that God will give me a new song to sing
When we praise God through difficulties and interruptions, it is inwardly deepening our faith and intimacy with the Lord while others also benefit from seeing the Lord’s glorification, like the prisoners and the guard! God can and will use everything we go through for His glory and the furthering of the kingdom, we like Esther, must decide if we will participate in giving the glory to God through the ups and downs of our life. If not, the Lord will have others worshiping Him and giving glory to him.
“When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews WILL arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?””
Esther 4:12-14 NIV
Arina, yesterday you posted about having doubts about God’s love and doing things right in the Lord’s eyes, I have a couple of quotes from Beth Moore’s “Portraits of Devotion” I would like to share with you that might help you.
“God knows what He’s doing! Trust Him. God is busy making you someone no one else has ever been.”
“God sometimes uses us most powerfully when we feel least adequate.”
Hope these help and remember God, Christ and the Holy Spirit will never turn away from you, no matter what you do, even if you turn away from them.
I’ll be praying for you and everyone else who requested prayer.
Angie. Took a screenshot of your prayer. Thank you. Wonderfully encouraging.
Abby’s last comments remind me of a song by Andrew Ripp titled “Rejoice”. My radio station some of the time will have the artist tell how they came to write the song and the story behind this song is why I think of the two together. Andrew and his wife were trying to have a child, all their friends and family were having them, and it was getting them down but he is compelled by the Lord to write this song. They end up adopting. It’s a beautiful song and story.
There have been many times in my life I’ve wanted to give up but by turning to my Savior I was able to carry on. I know I can turn to God and He will get me through anything.
Sisters be blessed and remember to turn to the Lord in times of trouble and joy.