Midnight Shifts

 Greetings,

We can also rejoice when we encounter problems and trials, knowing that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. -Romans 5:3-5 NLT

Late one night, a knock on my door revealed two police officers on the other side. Just imagine suddenly awakened to blinding red and blue lights flashing outside your window, loud hard knocking on the door, eyes full of sleep, mind clouded, and police asking and informing me that someone had made a 911 call from my house after midnight. 

As they talked, images of how this could've happened began to take shape in my mind, and in my heart was the increase of an approaching heartbeat. My response was no; everyone was asleep, well, until this event happened (LOL). My mind swirled at the thought of seeing the police at my door and asking questions about a possible 911 call coming from my house after midnight. Yes, aware that this was a critical follow-up because someone may have been in trouble. The two police were friendly, said they were sorry for waking me at midnight and thanked me.

Rejoicing is the last thing we think about when facing these situations.

Instead, my mind was trying to diagnose what had just transpired. However, after their departure, I regained my composure and thanked God for keeping me safe. The lesson, God is at work in our lives, even in midnight events; God loves us. And remember that our midnight experiences are not always happening at midnight (time) but are midnight experiences that we suddenly experience.

Our lives are composed of "situational shifts, or midnight shifts" that is to say, there are times in which we experience events that have the propensity, the magnitude, to either propel us forward or backward depending on the event's severity. Even though the shifting is shifting us from one sphere to the next, we can't allow the shifting's objective to annihilate God's plan to develop our endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. 

The Apostle Paul experienced a midnight shift too. Acts 16:25-26 records, about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, a strong earthquake shook the prison's foundations. All the doors flew open at once, and everyone's chains came loose.…

What can we learn from our own midnight experiences and others: 

Prayer is essential,

Praises keep the heart cheerful,

Prisoners heard them (others will come to our aid),

What's holding us will be shaken,

Doors will be opened suddenly,

What's holding us will be loosed from us,

Others will benefit from our midnight experiences as an open door for their salvation, 

We will not be disappointed because God loves us.

Confidently Trusting in God,

Minister Sylvia Joyner