“About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God⌠Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.” â Acts 16:25â26 (NIV)
Introduction: Why Does It Get Harder When You’re Getting Closer to God?
Have you ever noticed that right when you start getting serious with God, life seems to fall apart?
You pray deeper. You fast harder. You surrender fully. And then suddenlyâeverything starts shaking. The storms rise. People walk away. Doors close. The answers seem delayed.
During our 40-Day Prayer Journey, many have asked: “Why does it feel like the more I pray, the more problems I face?”
Hereâs the truth: God doesnât shake you to break youâHe shakes you to shape you. When you press into God, the enemy presses harder. But spiritual shaking is often a sign of spiritual strengthening.
When the Earthquake Comes
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were not imprisoned because of disobedienceâthey were chained because of their faithfulness.
Yet at midnight, they didnât complain. They prayed. They praised. Then, God moved. He didnât just open prison doorsâHe opened hearts. The earthquake didnât come to crush them. It came to deliver them.
Your shaking isn’t your ending. Itâs your beginning. It is your Launch!
Don’t Be SurprisedâYou’re a Target Because You’re Growing
The enemy doesnât waste time attacking the silent or the stagnant. He focuses on:
Those activating their lives with the Word
Those praying with power
Those growing closer to God
Those living with a divine purpose
So, if youâre under pressure, it doesnât mean youâre failing. It means youâre faithful.
Hell doesnât attack the lukewarm. It panics over the surrender. If the battle feels intense, itâs likely because your obedience has shaken the enemyâs ground.
Donât be surprised. Be steady.
đ§ Faith + Care Life Insight Box: When You Feel ShakenâŚ
When the problems keep coming, the storm gets stronger, and people start walking awayâ It doesnât mean God abandoned you. It means in your hardship, in your storm, in your weaknessâ you are getting stronger than you think.
God is building a faith that cannot be shaken, even when everything else is falling apart.
Is It the Enemyâor Is God Allowing It?
Yes, the enemy attacksâbut remember: Nothing happens without Godâs permission.
Like Job, your trial may be intenseâbut your story is already stamped with restoration.
Sometimes, the same struggle returns again and again. You think youâve broken freeâand yet, it reappears.
Donât let the cycle convince you that youâre weak. Let it remind you that God is refining something deeper within you.
Imagine a tree in a violent storm. The winds whip, branches bend, and roots groan. But the shaking doesnât uproot itâit drives its roots deeper. The same is happening to you.
Why God Allows the Shaking
1. To Shake Off What Canât Stay
“… so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” â Hebrews 12:27
Shaking reveals whatâs weakânot to shame you, but to rebuild you stronger.
2. To Set You Up for Breakthrough
Paul and Silas didnât ask for escape. They praised in painâand their worship became a miracle for others. Your midnight moment may be someone elseâs doorway to salvation.
3. To Birth Something New
Sometimes, God stirs the soil with storms so that new things can grow. Just like a seed must break to sproutâyou must be shaken to be stretched.
đŞ 3 Ways to Stand When Life Shakes You
1. Anchor Yourself in God’s Word
Declare it. Live it. Hold onto it.
His Word will not return void. â Isaiah 55:11
2. Worship Even in the Dark
Worship isnât a reward for a breakthroughâitâs the pathway to it. When you worship in the dark, you invite light into your midnight.
3. Stay Connected to God’s People
Donât fight your battles alone. Isolation is the enemyâs weapon. Community is Godâs answer.
đ Declaration Prayer
Lord, I may be shakenâbut I will not be destroyed. You are my firm foundation. Even when I donât understand the storm, I trust Your hand. In my weakness, You are strong. In my midnight, You bring light. I praise Youânot for the pain, but for the purpose. Let this storm produce strength in me. Let this shaking awaken something new. I declare: I am unshakable in You. In Jesusâ Name, Amen.
đĽ Final Word
If youâre feeling shaken todayâ Youâre not failing. Youâre forming. Youâre not being broken. Youâre being built.
God is not far. He is near. He is working in the storm, standing in the fire, and strengthening you through every shaking.
So, if youâre trembling, donât run. If youâre weepingâdonât stop worshiping. The ground may shake beneath you, but the Rock beneath the shaking is unmovable.
God does His best work in the furnace. Keep praying. Keep praising. You are getting stronger than you think.
đ Suggested Scriptures for Further Study:
James 1:2â4 â âConsider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kindsâŚâ
1 Peter 5:10 â âAnd the God of all grace⌠will himself restore you and make you strongâŚâ
Romans 8:28 â âAnd we know that in all things God works for the goodâŚâ
âď¸ TL;DR Summary:
When God allows shaking in your life, itâs not to harm youâitâs to build you. Storms are signs of growth. Worship through the pain, stay grounded in Scripture, and lean on your community. Youâre not being destroyed. Youâre being prepared.
