Heartache in Laughter

Proverbs 14:13 says, “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.” How often do we tell everyone we’re fine when we’re not? We put on a painted smile or a brave face and pretend we’ve got it all together. This verse speaks to the depth of human nature when it expounds that even when we laugh, we can still suffer from heartache, and the end of our joy may be grief. We can try to hide our pain from others, but at the end of the day, we will deal with it ourselves. Even when we are laughing and enjoying our life, there is that still small voice in the back of our head propagating heartache and grief. 

On earth, even our happiest moments are tainted with grief, and laughter only lasts for a moment. The bliss and delight we experience in life are not permanent. But as Christians, this is not the end of the story. 

Psalm 30:5 tells us, “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” We have the promise that, while weeping may endure for a night, joy is coming in the morning. We will be burdened and face hardships while we are here. We will endure suffering, trials, heartache, and grief, even in our laughter and joy. Weeping will endure for the night, but joy is coming in the morning when we are in our eternal home where God Himself will be with us and wipe away every tear from our eyes and put an end to all death, sorrow, crying, and pain (Revelation 21:3-4). 

But how is this possible? Only through Jesus. As the first part of Isaiah 53:4 says, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Because Jesus endured our humanity and took on our guilt and shame, we can be saved by Him, and He has entered into the glorious joy of the presence of His Heavenly Father. He endured our weeping for a metaphorical night, and it is only because of Him that joy can come in the morning. Jesus is “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

So when heartache holds you back from laughter or grief is the end of your joy, remember Jesus. Look to Him who endured the cross and despised its shame and is now sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. Remember that He is with you now and that we will be with Him one day. Weeping may endure for now, but we look forward to that morning. Thank God that Jesus endured our pain for the joy set before Him! 

Let this also be a reminder to treat one another well while we are here on earth. Even if somebody seems like they “have it all together,” chances are, they don’t. It may sound cliche, but you never really know what somebody is going through, perhaps even those closest to us. We should love one another and treat them as we want to be treated, for this is how Jesus taught us to live.