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“"An Overflowing of What's Already in the Heart"”

Thoughts for Today:

How was Paul so easily able to focus his attention on praising God even during difficult times? Pastor Ty (the pastor of my church) is fond of saying, "The heart is like a sponge. When squeezed, whatever is in it comes out." In other words, trials don't make or break us -- they only reveal the content of our heart.

Think about it. When someone steps to the front of the line at the grocery store, when a car ignores your turn signal and takes your parking space, or when someone cuts you off on the freeway -- how you react at that particular moment says a lot about what's in your heart.

In Acts 16, we find Paul and Silas singing while they were in prison. (Verses 25-26: "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose.) Why were they singing and praising the Lord? Was it because they had just heard a sermon on Acts 16 and were expecting God to miraculously free them? No, of course not -- they had no idea He would loose their chains and throw open the prison doors. Paul's praise in Acts 16 was the same praise we see in our passage today: An overflowing of what was already in his heart.

Questions to Ponder:

What's in your heart today? Is it anger, bitterness, jealousy, envy, and impatience; or is it love? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.