It's easy to praise when life's going well. When the road is smooth and straight, it's easy to lift our hands in worship.
But when the battle rages around us, when the path leads steeply uphill and is strewn with the empty shells that have been fired at us, when we're weary and hurting, then lifting your hands is difficult.
When we're in the battle, it's hard to keep our eyes on Jesus; we feel our eyes need to be on the the things that are being launched at us, and our focus gets easily shifted. Our mouth becomes filled with either negative talk, or nothing at all as we shut down and process the mess or the pain - but certainly not praise.
This ought not be so. We know this. But it's tough to be full of praise, full of joy, full of thanksgiving when our hearts are aching, the fear is raging, the situation is bleak and God seems a million miles away.
But it's when we're in the battles, or when we're in the pit, that other people are listening to us. Look at Paul and Silas in Acts 16 v 25:
"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them"
Paul and Silas were in prison, and Roman prisons were pretty grim. I go through some tough times but thankfully I've never ended up in prison.
When we go through dark times, when the battle rages around us, when the walls are closing in, we often question, 'Why me'? or 'Why did God allow this in my life?' or 'What did I do to deserve this?' Sometimes of course, we do get ourselves into a mess; we do something and adverse consequences follow. An example could be that we turned to drink, over indulging in alcohol for a period of time, and developed a liver problem as a result. Whatever the prognosis, it would be a difficult time.
But when something else happens that is catastrophic - a medical diagnosis that isn't self-inflicted, a car crash, an accident, the death of a loved one, the breakdown of a relationship....the list goes on - it is difficult to process. This is when the questions start. We try and mentally justify why something bad has happened.
What about when we're bang in the middle of God's will, doing what He asked us to do? What happens when something bad happens then? Has this ever happened to you? If so, you're not alone.
Do you know what Paul and Silas were in prison for? Doing the will of God. They cast out a demon from a girl, and they were beaten and thrown in prison. Paul - and many of the disciples of Jesus - were thrown in prison, beaten and even killed for doing God's will.
If Paul, and the other apostles faced challenges, trials, hardships, persecution, tough times....even prison, beatings and death...we shouldn't feel surprised when tough times come along. Jesus clearly warns us that troubles will be coming our way: John 16 v 33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"
No one is immune to troubles, tough times, battles, dark times....whatever you want to call them...they will come, whether you are a Christian or not, whether you're rich or poor, old or young. No one is immune to life. Stuff happens. When that stuff happens, we all have a choice how to deal with it.
We find the world is listening and watching when we're in these tough times. It may not seem fair, but that's just how it is. The prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas. They could have heard them complaining; they could have heard them mumbling or groaning or griping with God or each other. They could have heard them asking 'What's the point of doing God stuff, when we get thrown in prison for it?'
But they heard them praying and singing to God. This isn't just a nice little anecdote in the bible for us to read and think how nice a story it is. This is an important life application lesson for us. Paul and Silas have set us an example of what to do in really tough times.
I'm wondering if they felt like praying. I'm wondering what their prayer was. I'm wondering whether they felt like praising God, because the last thing I often feel like doing is praising when I'm in the battle and troubles are overtaking me.
Paul and Silas chose to keep their eyes off the circumstances, and on Jesus. Later that night, they experienced a suddenly. I love a suddenly, because it often means God's intervening. God did intervene, and I believe that the breakthrough wouldn't have happened if Paul and Silas didn't choose to pray and praise. The breakthroughs don't always come the same day, unfortunately. Sometimes, we have to wait for the "suddenly", but when we choose to continue to pray, seek God, to praise Him, then we open the way for God to come in to the situation. Take heart, for He has overcome the world.
We will overcome, when we follow Paul and Silas' example. And remember, the eyes of others are on you, watching and listening, so make sure that what you're saying is glorifying God.