Singing at Midnight

When you have a relationship with God, the Bible says there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.

And Solomon wrote, “He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15 NKJV).

Paul and Silas were imprisoned in a Roman dungeon for preaching the gospel. Yet at midnight, they were singing praises to God, and the other prisoners were listening (see Acts 16:25).

The midnight hour is not the easiest time to sing praises to God. Nor is it the easiest time to sing His praises when you’re in the doctor’s office, waiting for the results of a lab test, or when you’re in a hospital waiting room, or when you’re facing a thousand other distressing scenarios.

When Paul was living under house arrest, awaiting his appeal to Caesar, he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NKJV).

Loosely paraphrased, Paul was saying, “Look, if anyone could be depressed, it’s me. If anyone could be down, it’s me. If anyone is facing an uncertain future, it’s me. But here’s what I’m saying to you: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, say rejoice!”

The prophet Habakkuk showed a similar mindset when he wrote, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (3:17–18 NKJV).

These are the words of a man who knew that God was still in control and still loved him.

No matter what’s going on, we can rejoice in the Lord. God’s plans for us are still good, and He has promised that He’ll never leave us or forsake us.