Would you be praising God for being unjustly prisoned and tortured? The story of imprisoned Chinese Pastor Chen Min Lin is the most powerful example I can think of to show us how to be thankful in the most desperate of circumstances. Pastor Chen was sentenced to 18 years in a brutal Chinese prison for preaching the gospel of Christ. Chinese Chairman Mao intentionally placed the Christians in the worst conditions to try to break them from ever proclaiming the gospel again. While in prison Chen was tortured, starved and witnessed fellow prisoners die. In an overcrowded prison he never had a moment to himself. It was extremely difficult to connect with God in an environment of constant chaos. After 12 long years of horrid conditions, he was intentionally selected for the worst assignment to break his faith – to clean the sewage cesspool of the 60,000 prisoners. The stench was unbearable and there was a high probability of contracting disease from being in contact with the waste. The second day of the assignment Chen realized something that had escaped him trying to withstand the first day….HE WAS ALONE! The stench was so unbearable that no guard or other prisoners came near. He was free to sing, pray and worship before the Lord. Chen’s prayers had been answered! Now he was able to spend time alone with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The last 6 years of his sentence he was so thankful for his time alone before God in the cesspool. God even reminded him of a hymn about the beautiful fragrance of the rose which filled his senses with this scent.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, ¹⁶ to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. 

When Chen was released, he didn’t know if any Christians would remain from the 100 Christians he had left meeting in homes 18 years prior. Chen was speechless when he was greeted by 5,000 Christians that had come to know the Lord! When he inquired about the growth of the church, the people said that there had been great growth in the last 6 years…..during the years he had been praying and praising the Lord in the cesspool!!!! God is so incredible. 

Psalm 28:6-7 Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. ⁷ The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

What is God doing in your dire situation? Are you expectant or desperate? There are many things in our every day lives to feel discouraged by, but I also know that there is a really good likelihood that none of you are reading this from a Chinese prison. If Chen could find joy in a cesspool in a Chinese prison, then God is big enough for us to trust in him and praise him in our circumstances.

Please note that Chen spent 18 long, terrible years in prison. God didn’t release him or make his surroundings plush, but God met him there and carried him through. Chen was still grateful to God IN THE MIDDLE OF A CESSPOOL. What in the world do we have to complain about in comparison? Of all the worthy trials in my life….NONE compare to what Chen endured. Can you imagine to just be so grateful to be in the presence of God that it didn’t matter that you were covered in sewage EVERY DAY?

I challenge you to praise God in EVERY circumstance. God is doing a good work through whatever out situation is, we can rest assured in this. If you are struggling and are in the midst of a discouraging season, maybe the vision of Chen in the prison cesspool singing hymns to God will help you appreciate how much we each have to be thankful for. Sing a song of joy to the Lord, he is doing amazing works through us each and every day. 

Psalm 30 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. ² O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. ³ O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. ⁴ Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.  ⁵ For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.  Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. ⁶ As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” ⁷ By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. ⁸ To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: ⁹ “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? ¹⁰ Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!” ¹¹ You have turned for me my MOURNING into DANCING; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, ¹² that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!