I have often wondered how comedians could possibly think that things were so funny because, many times I would feel offended at their brand of humor as they jabbed fun towards matters I viewed as serious business.  I have learned, in my short years of living, that the reality is- in order to survive the abyss of pain you might have to be the first to laugh at things in your life: the first to poke fun at yourself, the first to see the softer side of your difficult life, the first to not take it all so seriously because if you don’t you just, simply, won’t make it… in the long run.

I remember going through a point in my life where everything was coming at me as an avalanche of trouble, and I was going down, for the count most certainly. I believe at times in one’s life, you will experience a momentum of earth shattering things happening to you, simultaneously, which will never, no matter how hard you try,provide time enough to resolve it and be at peace as quickly as you’d like. Oh yes, the old saying that rocks me to this day is–If life is a bowl of cherries than why am I in the pits?–I laugh because this became very real to me, in my life, therefore as you too might scream out wondering what to do next I pray that you will find solace, and peace in our heavenly Father, as I did, the one whom all blessings flow from. But a key ingredient, in my opinion, is to strive to know that there are others worse off than you, and in case you didn’t know it, the reality is, your situation could be much, much, worse, so take a moment to ponder that thought alone, and it will sober you up, as well as dry those tears real quick!

I cried more tears than I thought my tear ducts would allow, and I truly believed, at the time, that no other emotion would ever surface for me other than depression, pain, sorrow, and despair. I use to tell friends that I was too busy to meet up because, I had a 2:00 p.m. appointment with sorrow, and he didn’t like it when I was late. They would laugh, and I often thought- when is that going to happen to me… when was I going to laugh again? I was so sad , and unrecognizable to myself, but I thank God that I now know the enemy is under my feet for, through Christ, JOY is now my middle name. I committed to keeping my head in the word, and my thoughts on the Lord only to wake up realizing that I was being healed everyday and then, miraculously, one day I heard the Pastor make a joke in his sermon…and I found myself laughing! Wow, I was laughing ,and then crying as people looked at me probably wondering, “What’s up with her?”

With the grace of God he had been healing my broken heart for I might have cried several nights, but Joy truly did come for me in the morning. I had the strength to kick up my heels, and be myself ,a person, free from sorrow and depression. I could recognize myself again, and by allowing Holy Spirit to guide me I was obedient to his word. I am a new creation and somehow I could see my pain from a different perspective, pain that no longer had power or a hold over me. I was a new creation looking back at what I use to be, and simply no longer was anymore, and so I could live again…

“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

So, I have been thinking, maybe comedians aren’t necessarily mocking our hidden pain, and struggles, but perhaps it is the pain they identify with so much in their own lives that they find humorous. Perhaps, in the end, they have victory over their pain ,enough, to actually poke fun at it. You only know how to deliver a good joke, in my opinion, when you know where to place the inflection, and emphasis in the punch line because, you have some experience, perhaps, with it yourself.

Praise the Lord for victory over all pain; for if you keep your eyes on the Triune God you will experience a healing so great, and so awesome that one day you will actually be able to look back and laugh at it why? Because to those that know, in the greater picture, what it is all about, and to those that believe in the regenerative work of Jesus Christ you will know that it is the old things that have gone away, and the new way, through Christ , is what has come! I can laugh about what was in the past because I am , presently, free in Christ for my awesome future!!!!

So take my advice seek God ,and know that you have victory over your present struggles, and you need not worry where you are now because, nothing will stop what God has ordained for your life.

DCL Ministries