There is a saying describing the person whose life has had some unfortunate events regularly occurring: “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” Frankly, I do not believe in the existence of “luck.” Rather, I believe that all that happens in a person’s life results from providence of God. Every experience in life comes either directly or indirectly from the hand of God. But having said that, sometimes it is very difficult to understand what God is doing, even when I trust Him implicitly.
Such must have been the case for the Apostle Paul and Silas. While ministering in the city of Philippi they were troubled by a young girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination. After casting out the ungodly spirit, Paul was arrested, brought before the magistrates, severely beaten and thrown in jail. It just doesn’t seem fair. Why would God allow one of His choice servants to be abused in such a way if He was sovereign over the affairs of the world?
The answer is found in what follows. At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God loud enough that the other prisoners were able to hear them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the jail shook, but miraculously, the walls did not fall and yet at the same time, the shackles confining the prisoners fell off. How do you explain that one apart from the intervention of God? The jailor couldn’t and so came to Paul & Silas being convicted of being guilty before a holy God and asked what was necessary in order to be saved. Paul shared the gospel with him and he believed.
Think of it, had not that young demon-possessed girl bothered Paul he would not have cast the spirit from her. Had he not cast out that spirit, he would not have been taken before the magistrates. had he not been taken before the magistrates he would not have been thrown in jail. Had he not been thrown in jail the jailor would have been eternally lost to suffer the judgment of God for his sins. You may say that God have provided another way for the jailor to come to faith but there is no certainty of that. What happened is what eventuated in him believing. “Whoda thunk it?”
There are times in every believer’s life when he wonders what in the world God is doing or if He is doing anything at all. It just might be that those are the very times God is silently working out something spectacular.
All things work for our good
Though sometimes we can’t see how they could.
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth.
Our Father knows what’s best for us,
His ways are not our own.
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just can’t see Him
Remember you’re never alone.
God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
When you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand,
Trust His heart.