A Serious Beatdown

Paul sends a demon out of a girl, whose “spiritual talent” happens to be a major money-maker for her boss. Furious, he gets Paul and Silas thrown into jail.

Read: Acts 16:16-24(NLT)

Explore the Theme: Not all attention is good attention. Even though Paul and Silas were doing the business of ministry, they weren’t immune to roadblocks. As Paul heals and delivers an uninvited PR person, both he and Silas pay a steep price, facing an angry mob. Do you think Paul was aware there would be consequences like this for his actions?

What thoughts and emotions do you think motivated the rulers and crowd to respond the way they did?

Ask God: Sometimes our best intentions are met with unexpected consequences, especially when emotions come into play. Ask God to show you a time when, in attempting to do good, you found yourself frustrated -- even annoyed or angry -- along the way. How did you respond? What happened as a result?

Live it Out: When we know better, we do better. Take some time this week to pray through the situation you reflected on above. Be real with God and ask him to show you what you did well and what you might have done better. Invite him to help you learn and grow so that you can walk forward in wisdom. As frustrating situations occur throughout the week, ask God to help you to respond well.