“And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.” – Acts 16:23
Sometimes, the most miserable things we endure produce the most beautiful and eternal results! Most of us would struggle to imagine something more miserable than being beaten by a mob, beaten by the police, and thrown in jail for being Christians who cast out a demon. That’s exactly what happened to Paul and Silas in this verse. And yet…
What the crowd and the authorities did to hurt them, God used for a wonderful, eternal purpose. Paul and Silas didn’t know what was next but were confident in God’s good and loving presence with them even amidst suffering and injustice. Rather than sitting in their pain and feeling sorry for themselves, they worshiped and praised God from within their jail cell. God used that extraordinary faithfulness to bring their jailer and his entire household to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
The suffering of Paul and Silas was unjustified and unjust. Their pain was very real and intense. However, God used it for a glorious, redemptive purpose. An entire household gained eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. Who knows how many of the following generations of that household also became Kingdom citizens! Would Paul and Silas have said their temporary pain was worth it because of the eternal gain for other people? Absolutely!!!
This story is a beautiful reminder that while we feel each moment of time intensely, God sees all moments equally well. When we can’t comprehend the suffering and injustice we experience, God can still redeem it for the blessing of many and for His glory. When times are hardest, that’s when we most need to trust God’s plan, presence, and providence, praising Him amidst tears and testifying to His goodness in the face of human evil. #FollowJesus