At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. (Job 5:22-26)
Job endured enormous trials and difficulties, yet after a tough year, he was restored and blessed beyond what he could have imagined. He also lived a very long life. In Job 5:19-26, one of Job’s friends listed six calamities from which the Lord would deliver the man whom God corrects. The first listed was famine. He said the man who obeyed God would laugh at famine.
Laughing in the face of adversity may seem counterintuitive, especially when numerous challenges and hardships surround us. But choosing to agree with God will cause you to be joyful and laugh in faith. That laughter will tell your soul you choose to believe in God over what it feels or looks like. When we choose to laugh, we are not pretending the problem doesn’t exist, rather we acknowledge that we can overcome it while refusing to let it define us.
Choosing to laugh in faith will shift your perspective off the problem and onto your faith in God. When we laugh by faith out loud, we see our circumstances in a new light.
Also, laughing in faith will cause others to laugh. By choosing to laugh instead of worry, you can build up others and those around you.
The imagery and promise God gave Job of a shock of corn coming in its season mean that God has an order and timing for everything in your life. Trust that God’s timing is best and laugh while you wait to see the fullness of His promise.
Practical Application
Just as the Scripture encourages us to laugh at destruction and famine, you must cultivate a spirit of joy. This doesn’t mean pretending that problems don’t exist but choosing not to allow problems to define what you feel and believe. Laugh at trouble by faith!