How to Laugh at the Days to Come

I’ve read this passage in scripture countless times and even committed it to memory, but I’m not sure I’ve ever believed it was possible before now.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” (Proverbs 31:25)

Days of laughter have filled my heart like when my toddler innocently uttered a word in a not-quite-right way, or when my family gathered around the table for a festive feast or competitive game. On those days it seems attainable to laugh at others yet to come.

But what about the times you receive a devastating diagnosis or papers for a divorce? What about the moment you pick up the call that forever changes the way you live and look at life? How are we to continue laughing at the future when our present reality is riddled with disappointment and heartbreak?

When problems abound and answers are few, or when prayers lifted seem stuck enroute to God for a change in circumstances, here are a few promises that hold me steady as I consider what’s ahead:

God is with you and will keep you safe.

Genesis 28:15 – “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go…For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Psalm 121: 1-8 – “The Lord is your keeper…”

God will help you and give you strength for another day.

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Psalm 46:1-2 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

God will grant you rest.

Matthew 11:28–29 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Psalm 23:1-3 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”

God alone is your peace

Philippians 4:7 – “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Isaiah 26:3–4 – “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”

God’s presence leads to fullness of joy and your ultimate good.

Psalm 16:11 – “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 73:28 – “But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.”

You may be thinking that’s helpful, but how do you practically learn to laugh at the days to come? Here are a few ways to help you walk these promises out in your daily life.

1. Consider more and compare less.

To be honest, I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the Proverbs 31 woman described in verses 10 to 31. Long admired for her character, her work ethic, her marriage, and her parenting, I’ve mistakenly used this selection in the wisdom narrative as a golden standard for womanhood. I’ve compared myself to her time and time again always falling short in some way. We all know competition steals our joy and laughter more than anything else.

So instead of comparison, I’ve started to consider how God has uniquely gifted me and provided for me in each season. Our family intentionally discusses the wild ways God provides from the small to the large. Nothing increases your joy more than looking to the past and realizing God does keep His promises.

2. Claim your identity in Christ

Most of my life, I’ve chosen to clothe myself in achievements and accomplishments, as if my garments of gold and gain are praiseworthy. I’ll never forget when a friend looked at my weariness from striving and lovingly pointed me to the fact that, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).”

I was free to stop trying to earn more of God’s love and favor because Christ’s robe of righteousness covers me before a holy God not my best efforts. Joy and laughter abound in freedom and surrender, so claim your identity in Christ, friend. You are free from striving and shame. You are a child of God and your inheritance is secure.

3. Saturate your mind with the goodness of God

Our minds are saturated with a myriad of tasks which result in overwhelm to a great degree. When I’m buried beneath demands, my laughter lessens and patience shortens. How does this Proverbs 31 woman laugh at the days to come? She laughs at the days to come because God is the source of her strength and her worth, not what she earns, how full her calendar is, what she weighs, or how she compares to others.

These couplets in Proverbs are not to highlight how much one woman does, but to display the peace, strength and joy that exudes from a life rooted in the fear of the Lord. As we set our minds not on what is seen, but unseen, burdens feel lighter in light of our loving Savior. When we dwell not on the wisdom of the world but seek God who gives generously to those who love Him, laughter flows.

Proverbs 31: 10-31 describes a woman juggling many aspects of her day: her career, marriage, children, time, generosity and giftings. But verse 30 reminds us what outweighs it all. “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

As you meditate on the goodness of God and consider how He has generously provided for you, remember his promises are sure and his love steadfast. Claim your identity in Him and watch how that frees you to laugh at the days to come. God has good plans for you.