Would my children characterize me as joyful? Do I set the thermostat in our home to joy, not just happiness when everything is put away and the floors are clean? Do they see that my joy doesn't depend on circumstances?
If they don't see me depending on Jesus for joy, they won't learn how they can depend on Him for their joy.
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the days to come…”
This is from my favorite portion of Proverbs 31. It’s like my own personal verse out of this famous chapter. I want to be a woman who can laugh, a good gut laugh. God has brought me through some serious fears in my life, I want my laughter to be sweet to His ears. I want my laughter to be evidence of His glory.
There will be hard days that sometimes turn into hard weeks, but I want my children to be able to say of me that I taught them to laugh at the days to come. I want them to see that I know where my hope is and that joy does not depend on circumstances.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13
Believing is what creates joy and peace. Belief makes me abound in hope. If I can't laugh at the days to come, what am I believing?
We don't talk about heaven enough. I believe it's real, but I don't always act like it. I mean it's kind of there in the distant background, but I don't always act like it's my destination. I don't dream about it like I think I should nearly enough. I think this is a critical piece of our joy that we are missing. We should be thinking about it like a the greatest cruise ever, but with a purpose. I often hear people ask things like, "Will there be food in heaven?" People, it's going to be a wedding feast, so yes I am imagining food. And more importantly, if God created the things on earth that we enjoy, like food (if i start naming my favorite foods this blog will get out of control). If he created sunsets, the ocean, majestic mountain ranges, children's giggles,rainbows, stars and harvest moons, how can I not imagine heaven to be so much better.I know that at the end of my days, there will be much laughter and joy with Jesus. I just have to see with heavenly eyes that those are the days, the days to come, to look forward to, those days are in eternity.
I am constantly thinking about what I should be telling my children, what I need to realize is that I am communicating mostly without words every day of their lives. What are they hearing? Do I talk more about my problems or my joys? Do they feel my stress and then share my fear, or am I constantly showing them were to take my stress and exchange it for peace?
Believing, it creates joy and peace, and laughter. I can laugh at the days to come because I know what I am believing. I can gracefully let days go because I know what days are coming and which days I am putting my hope in...the eternal ones.
If you aren't laughing, what are you believing?
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