Hope While Enduring Sorrow: It's Okay to Laugh Again

by Terri Webster

Sorrow and grief are a relentless pair. When you see one, you’ll see the other tagging along, usually accompanied by pain and loss.

Who hasn’t known sorrow? Who hasn’t known grief? We all have, right? 

When we experience deep loss and sorrow, we may feel our lives are shattered beyond repair. Those events are like seeds that sprout roots, reaching deep into our soul, leaving our lives forever changed.

When I read 2 Corinthians 4:17, For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all, I struggle a little. My “light and momentary troubles,” haven’t always felt light and definitely not momentary.

Or when I read Psalm 30:5, Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning, I do find comfort in this promise, but, oh, how I wish weeping was only for one night.

Someone you love tragically dies, or your spouse leaves you for another. Maybe you endured childhood abuse, or abuse from someone you trusted. Perhaps a grown child suffers from mental illness or substance abuse, and you wonder if you’ll see them again on this side of Heaven.

Then, one day from out of nowhere, you catch yourself laughing again. ‘Oops!’ You suddenly feel guilty for enjoying a light moment. You feel you’re being disrespectful to the cause of your sorrow and grief.

To consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us, (Romans 8:18), can seem unthinkable. But that’s what we’re encouraged to do.  

And while we’re considering it, let’s also look deep

into Isaiah 53:3-5.

He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, 

acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on 

Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we 

did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; 

it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we 

thought His troubles were a punishment from God, 

a punishment for His own sins! But He was pierced 

for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so 

we could be whole. He was whipped so we 

could be healed. (NLT)

Jesus suffered with great sorrow, as He took on Himself, the very pain and grief we experience. He not only did it for our sin and rebellion, but also for what He knew we’d endure in our life here.

We can have hope for our future and experience His joy in light of eternity. And yes, even laugh at the days to come, just like the woman in Proverbs 31:25, She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

Here’s the solid truth: Eighty or 90 years of life here, can’t be compared to eternity with Him. But while we’re here, we can gain healing and strength, following a traumatic life event and enjoy genuine joy. We can and will laugh again.

When sorrow tries to creep back into the places Jesus has already touched, I know my perspective needs adjusting. I need to look heavenward and allow God’s perspective to overshadow my short-sighted, human perspective. 

When I do, then I can say, ‘weeping really does last a night, and joy comes in the morning,’ and be encouraged that what I’ve endured here on earth is accomplishing eternal purposes that outweighs them all. 

What about you? How do you find joy again, when sorrow and grief have changed your life forever? 

I pray that whatever sorrows you've known, you'll discover the hope and comfort only God can give. 

Staying the course,
Terri

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com

What Are You Wearing Today?

What did you put on this morning when you got up?

A uniform? Business clothes? Jeans? Are you dressy, casual or still in your pajamas?

Are you wearing earrings? Necklace? Bracelets? And what kind of shoes are you wearing?

I'm sure how you're dressed is determined by where you’re going or what’s on today’s agenda.

When we get dressed, we are careful to choose clothes based on how we want to look, along with style and comfort. 

Maybe we dress to hide what's really "hidden" or underneath.

We also dress in "invisible" clothes that we're unaware of. We wear them every day. These “invisible” clothes affect everything we say and do far more than we think. Truth is, they're not so invisible.

One day, not very long ago, I asked a single mom who was homeless, this question:

How is it that, what you’ve been through and currently going through, you’re so positive, energetic and hopeful? Sitting there with her, one could not see a hint of her current circumstances.

I’ll never forget what her answer was:

               I just don’t wear it.

Her answer stunned me for a few seconds, then I got it.

I was part of a panel of interviewers, discussing her entrance into a resident ministry for single moms.

Her children were well dressed and well behaved. She didn’t let them “wear” their circumstances either.

I was convicted. Not guilt-ridden, but gently convicted by the Lord.

I thought about when I was a single mom and how I put on my struggles, hardships and disappointments every day, wearing them everywhere I went.

I dressed myself in shame, financial burdens, victimization and rejection. I walked in shoes of fear and anger, depending on what day it was.

Those years have passed for me, but those five little words made me realize I still wore a lot of the same old “clothes”.

I love wearing something new. Don’t you? How do you feel when you put on a new dress or outfit?

I wonder what would happen if we simply changed our invisible clothing, one piece at a time. How do you think it would begin to affect our outward circumstances (and appearance)?

Here's a few:

 “…and provide for those who grieve in Zion – 

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, 

the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise 

instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:3

LAYER ON

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. 

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation 

and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, 

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10

AND

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled 

around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness 

in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness 

that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, 

take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish 

all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the 

helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, 

which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:4-17

ACCESSORIZE WITH

Your statutes, Lord, stand firm; holiness adorns 

your house for endless days. Psalm 93:5

AND

She is clothed with strength and dignity; 

she can laugh at the days to come. Proverbs 31:25

I know. You might be thinking it’s much easier said, than done. I get that.  

That’s why we must go from just saying it, to doing it. Piece by piece, day by day. Or hey, just go on an all-out spree and get a whole new wardrobe at once.

The best part is…IT’S ALL FREE!

My daughter once said, “you dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” (Unless you already have the job you want)

Maybe if we “dressed” for the circumstances we want, not the ones we’re in, what would happen?

Here’s a summary of what we could be wearing from our new wardrobe:

Crown of beauty

Oil of joy

Garments of praise and salvation

Robe of righteousness

Belt of truth

Breastplate of righteousness

Shoes from the gospel of peace

Shield of faith

Helmet of salvation

Sword of the Spirit (God's Word)

Holiness

Strength

Dignity

These are just a few. Maybe you can add some in the comments area below that I’ve left out.

I’m updating my current wardrobe. Won’t you join me? 

Staying the course,

Terri