Today’s Tasting: Job 6-9 MSG
Today’s Nourishment: Job 8:20-22 states, “God will let you laugh again; you’ll raise the roof with shouts of joy, With your enemies thoroughly discredited, their house of cards collapsed.”
Happy New Year to you, my prayer is that God has given you a glimpse of His goodness for you in 2015. And, if you need to laugh, I believe “God will let you laugh again.”
While reading these passages, Job seemed to vent about his current misfortunes, not just to his friends, but to God also. We sometimes neglect to understand our circumstances, whether good or bad, and allow our emotions to rule us and act as our source of release. Laughing is a good source of release and proven to build the immune system.
God allowed these misfortunes to happen in Job’s life. The Lord didn’t allow Satan to crush Job, but proved him a loyal man. Job somehow knew without a doubt that God is God and that His hand never moved from his life. Although from time to time, Job may have felt that God left and was nowhere to be found.
Know for certain, God is very much alive, working, and always speaking to you. He is for you and not against you. He loves you and cares for you. He knows the number of hairs on your head. He knows your sorrow and sadness. Be encouraged in the midst of all your situations, “God will let you laugh again.” God is a present God and wants to live in your present circumstances. He wants you to know the plans He has for you. They are good and build your hope.
As Job stirred enough strength to release his thoughts and feelings, so can we. Keep in mind, a level of fear and reverence for God in the circumstances that He allowed resonated through Job’s response to his misfortune.
I learned to laugh while dealing with some difficult people and living in difficult circumstances. Though, I was tried on every side, I learned to change my disposition and see the good where circumstances seemed bad. Sometimes others attempt to shift your focus and steal your joy, but hold to the Word of God. “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.
Father, I thank You for laughter. You made it possible for us to express our emotions with laughter. I pray for those who need to laugh. We make a choice to change our disposition about our circumstances and we choose to laugh. I pray as this new year starts with laughter as we see Your hand remaining upon our lives. Now, build the kingdom of God in us and through us. In the midst of uncertain times or wilderness experiences, help choose a cheerful disposition rather than sadness. May our lights shine ever so brightly. Thank You Lord for loving us enough to let us laugh. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Where’s your laughter? How have you chosen to change your disposition and laugh instead of cry in your circumstances?
Ebony
I truly believe this year will be a year that we get our joy back, that we will laugh again because of God’s goodness, and we will have many chances to let our lights shine. Thank you Ebony for this word it was a confirmation for me in what I’m believing for. I always do a family news letter at the beginning of every year and just finished it. I said exactly what you said about laughing and choosing joy and letting our lights shine this year like never before. Lord, may we be a shinning light in the dark places and in the hearts of people that they may see and come to know a loving, forgiving,and merciful God. Praise Your Holy Name!!!
Yes it is. I truly believe that God will be seen more this year through us and our obedience to what He has planned for our lives. For me I am believing that God restore my family back unto Him where the very thing that was meant to destroy us He has already conquered.
I choose to be glad today and laugh in my circumstances. My husband and I have traveled by plane all night and are sitting in the Atlanta Airport. We left last night at 9:30 pm and will arrive home at 12:30 pm today. We had a wonderful time with grandchildren and helped our daughter and her family finish moving to their new home in the snow. That was not easy. We can laugh and be thankful that Lord gave them 3 new children to adopt. They have a biological son and hope to adopt three children that have been with them since August. The Lord is doing such a great thing in our lives through our grandchildren. Our youngest daughter is expecting a boy in March, making six grandchildren for us. We have grown from two to six grands in 6 months. Whew!
Wow so awesome Carolyn, and thank you for this great opportunity. It is challenging me to new levels of faith.
This is a great reminder on how our attitude can affect our circumstances or the length of them. I needed this reminder. I will definitely laugh more this year. God bless you Ebony!
Ebony, you don’t know just how much I needed this! Thank you for this word, such a timely word, at that. I Will LAUGH! YES, I will!!