So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. (Acts 12:5-7, NIV)

Have you ever really prayed for something that was heavy on your heart, yet were surprised when God answered?  This sometimes happens when we pray for something for a long time. You’ll see that in today’s passage in the lives of the early believers too.

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Herod was busy arresting those belonging to the church, intending to persecute them.  This was serious because he had James, brother of John, put to death. Herod wasn’t joking around and had a serious distaste for Jesus followers. When the Jews didn’t protest, Herod kept going and went after Peter.

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What happened to Peter in that prison cell is nothing short of miraculous. From the angel to the light shining in the darkness, to the chains falling off, etc. Where were the guards? Why didn’t they see anything? Miracle!!

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Peter knew right where to go. People were inside praying for him. When the servant girl came to the door and saw it was Peter, she shut the door, went to the people inside, and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door.” They didn’t believe her and thought it must be an angel.

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Peter didn’t give up and kept knocking. They finally let him in, and he told them what the Lord had done.

Have you ever been in an uncomfortable situation? It’s not fun! Peter was in a cold, dark jail cell in chains. Very uncomfortable, to say the least. Then after he’s finally free, the people who were praying for him didn’t believe him right away. Can you picture him standing at the door, thinking, “I can’t believe this; let me in.” Also, uncomfortable!

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What do you do when you are feeling discomfort? Do you pray, try to fix it yourself, think happy thoughts, eat your feelings, buy something you don't need, watch Netflix, etc.? God can use discomfort just like He can use anything else in our lives, but we must give it over to Him and allow Him to work. When we realize that we “don’t got this” and the things in the list above don’t work, we should find ourselves looking to Him and to His Word. I find Psalm 34 very comforting and encouraging, and it is always my go-to Scripture when I need to hear from God. This is also a Scripture I like to share with others who are hurting and struggling. I encourage you to read it this week, maybe even begin to memorize the verses that strike you.

Dear Lord, help us NOT to be like Peter’s friends and doubt Your power. Help us to pray, believing that You will do what You say, even when it doesn’t seem possible. Help us to trade our discomfort for Your comfort. God, you are so good, and we praise You for who You are and not just for what You can do. Amen.