How can you praise God when you are facing trials?

Consider Paul and Silas, who were thrown into the dungeon. If you were ever imprisoned during their time, the dungeon was the worst place to be. It was filthy and reeked of human excrement. But Luke told us:

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Acts 16:25 (NKJV)

 

Paul and Silas were not bothered in the slightest. Instead, they prayed and sang hymns. The hymns they sung were more than just spiritual songs. They were singing from Psalms 113 to 118. These Psalms were songs of praise and deliverance, and they were often sung during the Passover feast. In other words, they were focused on Christ rather than their circumstances.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul teaches us that we should be thankful in everything, regardless of the circumstances. Now, it is important to understand the distinction between praising God "in" your trial and thanking him "for" your trial. Paul never tells us to thank God "for" our trials. This would imply that we are to praise God for every crisis, disaster, and illness. If we did that, we would be claiming that God is the cause of our problems. If He is, then we can take God to court for child abuse!

To thank God in your situation is to bring God on the scene. God will undoubtedly hear you at your midnight hour when things appear dark and gloomy. Years later, Paul wrote a beautiful epistle to the Philippians. In it, he made an important point.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

 

"Be anxious for nothing" basically means "don't get an anxiety attack over anything". God will not fail or forsake you. Just keep thanking Him and telling Him what is on your mind, and He will help you to get through those tough days because He cares about you.