Worship Through the Storm

There's no greater act of faith than worshiping God when we are hurting. Actually, it's impossible to truly worship God in the midst of painful situations unless you're in faith. There’s a vast difference between worship and singing. The act of worship actually ignites faith and moves the hand of God. I'm not talking about singing a song about God. I'm talking about intimacy with the Father where you’re praising Him and acknowledging who He is right in the middle of chaos and pain, when everything around you looks impossible.

Worship is God's way. When we worship in our storm God shows up. I love the story in the bible of Paul and Silas. You probably know it too, but I want you to fully grasp what’s going on here. First, we need to read Acts 16:22-26.

“. . . the magistrates tore off [Paul and Silas’] clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. . . Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed.”

Think about it. Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and had many stripes laid on them. Their flesh was slashed, bruised, and bleeding. Open to the elements, their wounds were oozing and stinging. They were in physical agony. Then, they were thrown into the inner prison. The inner prison was the deepest, darkest, coldest dungeon—the absolute worst and most secure place. On top of that, their feet were clasped in these wooden stocks that locked so they couldn’t move. It was incredibly uncomfortable. One of the most difficult things for us is being uncomfortable.

Yet, with Paul and Silas what happens? At midnight they were “praying and singing hymns to God.” Those words “to God” means they were intimately worshiping. The Amplified Version says they were “singing hymns of praise to God.” The NLV says, “singing songs of thanks to God.” Whatever version you read; how do you do that? How do you thank God intimately when you are being tortured and dying? You have to know He is present and that something bigger is going on. Paul and Silas understood the reality that Jesus had risen from the dead and was right there with them through the Holy Spirit regardless of feelings and horrific circumstances. None of their hardships destroyed their faith in the Lord.

Worshiping the Lord during our storms is faith in action. It has nothing to do with how well we sing or what we feel about our voices. It’s a “sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).