Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

- Acts 16:25

Where and when do you usually sing songs of praise to God? Is it primarily in church? In private? When others are singing with you?

In this verse, we can see Paul and Silas singing praises to God in a very uncomfortable place… a jail cell!

Instead of sulking in despair and letting fear take over, they utilized their time of sitting in that cell to pray and lift up praises to God.

As they prayed and praised, the other prisoners around them could hear them and chose to listen. In a place deemed as dark, cold, uncomfortable and hopeless, it was turned into a house of worship. Paul and Silas were able to be lights of God’s love, glory and hope for everyone who was listening in those cells, shifting and charging the atmosphere with their praise!

Even in the midst of hopeless and bleak circumstances, we can still choose to lift up praise and prayer to the Lord! When we pray and praise Him despite the jail walls of life that try to surround us, our praise tears down those walls of the enemy and our spirits are instilled with hope!

Every day when you go out into the world, there are people who have yet to hear about Christ or His love. When you praise Him, bring glory to His name and spread the light of Christ, even in unlikely places, you never know who could be listening.

No matter what’s going on around you, sing praises to His name today!

Prayer: “Lord, help me to be bold and have courage to lift up prayer and praise to your name even when my circumstances appear bleak. Let your light of hope and love shine through me into others as I glorify you wherever I go!”  

With Love,
Sarah Sherstad