“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

One time a servant girl followed Paul and  his companions as the, preached the good news in a certain city. The girl was a fortune-teller, helping her master earn a great deal of money. Troubled by this girl who kept crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who lay out the way of salvation, Paul turned to the girl and commanded the evil spirit to come out of her in the name of Jesus Christ. The girl came to herself, but her master was furious with Paul  because he lost this lucrative business. So he stirred up the crowd against Paul and Silas, and then they were thrown into jail.

But God had a great plan for the jailer who stood guard at Paul and the rest prisoners. As Paul and Silas were suffering in jail without any wrongdoing, they still trusted in God praying and singing hymns to Him even in the middle of the night. A massive earthquake shook the foundations of the jail while they were worshiping God. The jailer considered killing himself because he thought all the prisoners would have escaped due to the jail door flown open. Paul stopped the jailer from committing suicide and told him to believe in the Lord Jesus that he and his household would be saved. The jailer and his family indeed accepted Jesus and was baptized immediately.

Paul could’ve complained to God about his flogging and imprisonment for preaching his message. He could’ve run away from the jail as the jailhouse was tottered and every door was open and his chains were loosed. He seized every opportunity to bring people to Christ; after all, this the is only that we can be saved. Are we available like Paul for Christ, even in good times or bad times?