Laughter Restored
By Kathy Schultz

God can turn your mourning back into joy.

Laughter, a truly delightful sound, was coming from my 10-year-old granddaughter, Shelbi. It was Saturday night and she was in my bed having a "sleepover," as she called it. Silliness had overcome us both as we were settling down to sleep.

Since my husband went home to be with the Lord, laughter had been missing in my life. There was some laughter, but not often. Jerry had been the humorous one in our home, and I missed the sound of his laughter and the jokes that he told over and over again.

As I listened to Shelbi laugh and tease, I realized that God had passed the gift of laughter and joy on to my granddaughter. She has that same sense of humor and teasing way about her. It is the same twinkle and joy that had defined my husband.

Isn’t God wonderful to pass blessings down from one generation to another? We have all read the Scripture that says the sins of the father rest on the next generation, but I had discovered the opposite is true as well (see Exodus 20:5-6).

I began remembering the promises spoken in the Scripture concerning mourning (Isaiah 61: 2-4, Jeremiah 31:12-14). I had just seen those promises come to life through the blessing of my granddaughter’s laughter.

My mourning hadn’t been transformed into laughter and joy overnight. The beginning of my grief had seemed unbearable, but God had taken me through those dark hours. I had placed my hope in Him. I had gotten up each morning and resolved, with God’s help, that I would get through the day. Each morning His mercies were new.

"Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him" (Lamentations 3:23-24, New Living Translation)!

"Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise" (Hebrews 10:23, New Living Translation).

During this time, blessings occurred; my friends hugged me, cried with me, held me up in prayer, and somehow I moved from dark emptiness to a smile. I began to forget the sadness and I actually enjoyed some moments here and there. Those moments came seldom at first, and then more often.

And now this night I was aware that I was really laughing.

"…God blesses you who weep now, for the time will come when you will laugh with joy" (Luke 6:21b, New Living Translation).

"You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever" (Psalm 30:11-12, New Living Translation)!

This joy has a new purpose in my life. I am here to praise God, not to be silent. I am here to tell the message of His love and His provision to others, particularly my grandchildren. My life has meaning once again. Dancing in the dark was not an option, as I could trip over my feet walking in the daylight; now the joy is back! God has kept His promise. My hope was well founded. My wonderful, happy, joyful husband would have been in agreement.

If you need to have joy restored, place your hope in the Lord. You may, like me, have to wait to see the fulfillment of His promise. But your laughter and joy will be restored!

cbn