DAILY DEVOTION: "Circumstance or Joy"

Day 47: Circumstance or Joy

Scripture: (Acts 16:22-25) The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safe. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

Author: Jubal Powell

Is our joy contingent upon circumstances or material possessions?

Two of the most joyful people I know, both of whom I consider friends, are always smiling and joy flows from their hearts continuously. I have had the pleasure of serving alongside these individuals many times and regardless of how bad the circumstances are, they are always joyful and a pleasure to be around. So where does our joy come from?

On their second missionary journey, Paul and Silas had upset some men in Phillipi by casting a spirit out of a girl. The girl made the men of the city a tremendous amount through her soothsaying. The men were so upset that they brought Paul and Silas before the magistrate. The magistrate had them beaten with many stripes and cast them into the innermost part of the prison with their feet bound in stocks.

This would qualify as a really bad day for most of us and could certainly rob anyone of being joyful. These two men were broke and in prison. Still, Acts 22:25 tells how they reacted in these desperate circumstances. At midnight they prayed (very important) and sang praises to God loud enough that the other prisoner’s heard them. That is quite a testimony for not letting their joy be robbed by circumstances. Don’t let the world rob you of your joy. True joy can only come from the Lord.