Sing the louder still

He placed me in a little cage,

Away from gardens fair;

But I must sing the sweetest songs

Because He placed me there. 

Not beat my wings against the cage

If it's my Maker's will,

But raise my voice to heaven's gate

And sing the louder still!

This was part of my devotional last week and it just keeps resonating in my heart. Sometimes in our struggles we can start to believe they are because of someone else's actions, or a circumstance that's happening to us out of our control. We can be like the words of this poem, "beating our wings against the cage". Because the thought of a loving God putting us here just seems cruel. But in all reality it is a loving God who will hedged us in so He can teach us to sing a louder, sweeter song, that is by His design to set the real prisoners free.

Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn't believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose.

(Acts 16:25-26)