Job 8:20-22: “20 Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, Nor will He uphold the evildoers. 21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing.22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.” (NKJV)
It is true that he who laughs last, laughs best. We have all experienced some heartache, disappointment or setback which produced a season of discouragement or despair. No matter how strong or focused we are in our Christian walk, each one of us will experience something that by design is capable of shaking our faith. Job’s life was one of great prosperity and purposeful prayer yet he experienced earth-shaking, mind-blowing, hair-pulling, will-bending disasters which would tempt the greatest amongst us to question the motives behind God’s purpose for such anguish.
If you have ever felt as if you had hit rock bottom and were hopeful only because you were so low that the only direction to go was up; then you understand how Job must have felt when one calamity followed another. Yet in all of his grieving he knew that trouble does not last always. We might shed a few tears; come upon some stumbling blocks that impede our paths; see some of our plans go up in flames, but in the long run if we wait upon the Lord and keep courageous, we will find joy. Job spoke of this joy in a special way , as unbridled laughter. If we continue to trust God for our turnaround, our new venture, our new position, we will experience, not just a feeling of contentment, but we will see our tears turn to laughter.
I have always had a great sense of humor and find laughter an easy mechanism to alleviate stress. I know that it is a gift from God and I pleasure in the ability to find something funny in just about any situation. Looking on the brighter side of things helps us to remain grounded when it seems as if our whole world is being tossed and turned. Job had no plausible reason to rejoice, nor did it seem as if there was any great change about to happen for him when he spoke these words. He might not have known why the events had taken place; why the loss of his children; buildings; livestock and servants. But what he did know was that he had a special relationship with the Creator of the universe and that relationship was one of promise. We have that same assurance today. We only have to trust and obey. As the saying goes – “When you can’t see God’s hand, trust his heart”.
You know that God loves you and wants only the very best for you. When you have prayed fervently for something and you don’t see any change in your circumstances; continue to stand in the midst of your storm and proclaim the goodness of God. We might not recognize the presence or provision of God but we do know that his nature is one of Holiness and Love. Find peace and joy in knowing that this love surrounds us every day. Laugh at the devil; for he is defeated. Laugh at yourself because God will bring you joy.
Every day is a good day; it is up to us to make it a victoriously GREAT day! Be blessed!
Dr. JoAnn
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