So, yes, I’ve done it before, but here I am sitting down to do it again. Take words from one of my favorite hymns, and write about them. Sing and be happy. Simple instructions which will ultimately help and encourage us all to live a Christ-filled life. Last time, we focused on the chorus. But here, for our part two, I would like to mention a phrase from the first verse which I have often found myself reminiscing on. It says, “There’s a silver lining that shines in the heavenly land. Look by faith and see it, my friend. Trust in His promises grand.” (So, if you have not already, go read the post entitled “Sing and Be Happy.”)
Oh goody. How amazing is the thought of a silver lining? So comforting and, well, kind of warm. It’s just a good, comfy feeling. Especially when our dark cloud seems to be the only thing to focus on.
Silver linings, are actually quite popular. You always hear people say that they are trying to see the silver lining in everything they do. No matter what the circumstance. But that however, although good and positive, is a worldly perspective. So what does the bible say about what we would call a silver lining? How do we have a biblical perspective about the silver linings we see?
Philippians 4:8 says that we are to constantly be focusing on the good, if there is any, in all circumstances. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” It says that we must set our mind on all excellence we see and praise God for it. Often, it is easy to feel the weight of the burdens we may be carrying and we forget about the strive to move forward. But when we see the silver lining of Gods mercy and our heavenly reward, we can change our mindset and praise God.
I think it is important to realize that worldly silver linings, although are thought to be consistent, they can actually come and go quite frequently. But just as God is never changing, so are the silver linings he has created for us. I want us to look at just a few examples of when people in the bible used the silver linings that God showed them, to make it past some rather difficult times.
Let’s first look back to the story of Esther. Esther was an orphan who was raised by her older cousin Mordecai. Esther was chosen as the new Queen of Persia, despite the fact that she was a Jew. This was a problem because Haman, the king’s highest official, hated them. Haman wanted for every Jew in Persia to be killed. If you have ever read the story of Esther, then you would know that eventually Haman is killed and Mordecai is honored. We read that in summary, Esther helped rescue her people from exile through the deliverance of God. So, what can we gather from Esther’s experience? We can see that she was under an immense deal of pressure. She was at risk of giving her own identity away, resulting in mass destruction of the Jews. But even though she was under stress of trial, she leaned on God and saw the silver lining of His sovereignty and His power to deliver those in need. Esther was able to trust in the Lord’s care over her whole life and nation. She obeyed God and put every ounce of faith in Him, which helped deliver all her people. We must be like Esther during trying times and always remember to see the silver linings of leaning on Him, and trusting in His power.
Just as Esther encountered hard times, so did the character Job. I have never met anyone, who has ever had hardships that are even remotely comparable to the ones of Job. Job endured some trials, and then endured some more. He was left alone with none of his livestock, or any of his family. He was rejected by his friends and was told to curse God by his wife. He lost everything he had ever acquired. Yet very night, he went to God in prayer with blessings, praise, and thanksgiving. Oh, to be like Job. To be able to withstand the temptations of the devil and to praise God even when we have lost everything we have. As Esther saw the silver lining of God’s power, Job saw that of God’s loyalty. Job knew the unchanging God. Job prayed thanks to the God that allowed him to be tested. Job saw the silver lining of God’s worth even when he had a cloud of destruction hanging over him. Let’s be like Job, and see the silver lining of our redeemer even when we are struggling. Even when our possessions have gone away, and the friends we know have rejected us. Let’s be like Job and focus on our redeemer, the one who is never changing.
We have mentioned the silver lining that Esther saw when her people were facing exile. We also looked at the silver lining Job held onto even when everything he ever had, had gone away. But let’s also see the silver lining that Paul and Silas, even though in prison, remembered to look up and see.
In Acts 16, we find that Paul and Silas have just been arrested and imprisoned for commanding an unclean spirit to come out of a woman in the city. We read that their clothes were torn off and they were beaten with rods. To me, it seems that Paul and Silas were not having a great day. While traveling through Philippi, they were only trying to spread God’s word and evangelize. However, they ended the day bounded with chains in a prison cell. Just like Ester and Job, Paul and Silas were just met with a cloud of trial. They were being persecuted for their religious beliefs and were unable to continue on with their journey. But when we get down to verse 25 of Acts 16, the bible says that at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. That even when they were wrapped in chains and scars from them being beaten, they saw the silver lining of praising God. Paul and Silas, instead of focusing on whose fault it may have been or what they were going to do next, they eased their minds by going to God in prayer, and praising Him through song. Let’s encourage one another to act like Paul and Silas when we have tribulations overcome us. Let’s remember that praising God and praying to Him should always be at the top of our To-Do list.
I hope that you all enjoyed this post as well as the previous part one. I hope that I have been able to convey that finding biblical silver linings in everything we do may be of good benefits. We should constantly be encouraging one another to see those silver linings and focus on what comfort they can give. Let’s go out this week and take more notice not of our dark clouds, but of the shining glory of God behind them.
Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.”
