Acts 16:25
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”
Have you ever had one of them days when you tried to do right but everything seemed to go wrong? That is what happened to Paul and Silas. They went to a place outside of Macedonia to speak to a group of ladies who assembled to pray. While they were speaking, a young girl possessed with a devil continued to mock and disrupt them. Through God’s power, Paul cast the devil out of her. This young girl had brought her masters much money through her divination, and now that they saw their hopes of making money off her were gone, they were very upset. This caused them to stir up the people of the city against Paul and Silas to the point that the magistrates came and arrested them and took them to prison.
For serving the LORD, Paul and Silas sat bound in prison. Certainly, their day had not gone as planned, but instead of griping and whining about what happened, they sang praises unto God at midnight. Through God’s powerful workings, these men had an opportunity to witness to the guard and their fellow prisoners.
Imagine if Paul and Silas had complained and griped about their situation, do you think that prison guard would have been saved? Do you think the prisoners around them would have listened to them talk about the LORD? I think not! Their attitude in times of adversity gave them an opportunity to witness to those who before probably would not have listened.
Let me remind you that you never know who is watching you and who is listening to what you are saying. So often we show a bad attitude when we are having a bad day not realizing that we could be forfeiting the right to witness to those who are watching. It is in times of adversity when your testimony is validated. What you do in times of adversity truly dictates whether you will be able to witness to certain people. A good attitude in times of adversity allows you to witness to people who normally would not listen.
Moreover, all around you are people who are bound with their own adversity. Paul and Silas were not the only one’s in prison. You must realize that God most likely sent your adversity your way so that you could be a testimony to those who are going through the same adversity. Friend, let me remind you that around you are many people who are bound with their own adversity and you could help relieve their bondage. If your attitude is wrong, you will never be able to help them. Those around you in adversity need to see that there is a way they can get victory through adverse circumstances, and that way is through the power of God.
Furthermore, your attitude through adversity allows you to reach your captors. Paul and Silas were able to reach their captors because they kept a good attitude through adversity. Yes, it would be easy to get upset at those who are seemingly causing your adversity, but you must remember they are broken people who need to see that serving Christ is the way to overcome all adversity.
Let me ask you, what is your attitude as you endure adversity? Your attitude is important to reaching those around you. There are many people who are prisoners of their own adversity, and your attitude through your adversity just may be the thing that will allow you to reach them. I challenge you to watch your attitude, especially when you’re having a bad day. Though it may be easy to be short with people and gripe about your situation, that will not allow you to reach others. Keep a good attitude at all times and God will allow you to reach others through your adversity.