Laughing With Life

Since I can remember, I have always let life get the best of me... always worried, always fretted and stressed out with things that were out of my control, to the point of getting sick. I was very unhappy in life. I can remember days of depression being a constant companion in my life, day in and day out.

It wasn’t until 2005 when I had my awakening that I realized that there are many things in life that I don’t have control of…and the fact that I had to learn the difference as in the Serenity Prayer. There is nothing in life that is worth the aggravation, the stress, the unhappiness and miserable existence that is brought on from all the worrying. God granted me the serenity of accepting the things I couldn’t change and the courage to change the things I could and most importantly, He gave me the wisdom to know the difference.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful worldas it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things rightif I surrender to His Will;That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with HimForever in the next.

Amen.

Yes, I still think about things, yes, I still tend to worry about things, I’m only human, but… I don’t let it control me to the point of getting sick, being unhappy and miserable in my days or to the point of “dumping” on others around me. On occasion I will fret and stress over things, but I have to remind myself that I need to turn things over to God. As my blog title states: “Whatever it is, God is bigger”. I have since, learned to “Laugh with Life”. I’m not trying to make light of serious issues, the criticalness of certain situations in life, but worrying, stressing, fretting and consuming myself with doubt and fear over things out of my control is not going to fix things any quicker.

So in my devotional reading today, I was enlightened with the following words:

Laugh with Life:

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:13 NIV

Laughter is medicine for the soul, but sometimes, amid the stresses of the day, we forget to take our medicine. Instead of viewing our world with a mixture of optimism and humor, we allow worries and distractions to rob us of the joy that God intends for our lives.

So the next time you find yourself dwelling upon the negatives of life, refocus your attention to things positive. The next time you find yourself falling prey to the blight of pessimism, stop yourself and turn your thoughts around. And, if you see your glass as “half empty,” rest assured that your spiritual vision is impaired. With God, your glass is never half empty. With God as your protector and Christ as your Savior, your glass is filled to the brim and overflowing…forever.

Today, as you go about your daily activities, approach life with a smile on your lips and hope in your heart. And laugh every chance you get. After all, God created laughter for a reason…and Father indeed knows best. So laugh!

A Thought to Jump Start Your Day

If you want people to feel comfortable around you, to enjoy being with you, then learn to laugh at yourself and find humor in life’s little mishaps.

Dennis Swanberg