I think sometimes we’re more inclined to believe that God is present where there are tears and not so present where there is laughter. I’ve actually been verbally “chastened” by someone because I said something in a service that made the people laugh. Ideas like this come from religious mindsets, and honestly, I don’t always know where those religious mindsets came from!
Psalm 126:2 reminds us that there should be times in our lives when “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.” This doesn’t always need to be in response to a particularly good moment. Sometimes we need to remember that laughter and joy are to be remembered and practiced when we are going through a difficult time. Joy and laughter can be just the strength and solution we need during a trial.
In Nehemiah 8, the nation of Israel had forgotten the word of God and Ezra the priest was called to read it to the people. The people had been exiled from Jerusalem for 70 years, so the commandments of the Lord had long left their memory. When Ezra read them the word of God with all its commandments, they realized how far they had strayed from God. They began to weep because of their sorrow over their unknown disobedience. That actually sounds like a very reasonable and predictable response, but Nehemiah felt something was off.
Nehemiah knew that wallowing in grief can be incapacitating. Certainly, there is a time and place for regret, sorrow and repentance when we’ve disobeyed God, but staying there is not an option. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Regret and sorrow should lead to confession, but confession should lead us to joy. Joy! Why? Because God is faithful! He WILL ALWAYS forgive us and cleanse us. If we don’t step back into the joy of the LOE, we’ll stay in a weakened and diminished state. This will only set us up for another fall. When we lose confidence in our relationship with our heavenly Father, it’s a rut that immobilizes us and trips us up again.
Nehemiah gives some really practical advice on how to get our joy back. “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Yes, when you’re discouraged, keep yourself in the love of Christ (know He always loves you), and then go wash your face, put on some fresh clothes, have a good hike, eat some good food, and enjoy it! Then, to make it even better, make some food for someone else who would be blessed by it. In other words, don’t flog yourself, be kind to yourself again. Enjoy your forever relationship with God. Do things that make you feel better. Get right back into serving others. Stop disqualifying yourself. Get the joy of the Lord back.
So remember, the joy of the Lord is your strength. By remembering how complete your salvation is and by determining to rise up in joy, you experience what Isaiah 12:3 says, “With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!” Have a good drink of your salvation today. Get up and see the salvation of the Lord!