My Good Laugh

Saturday, June 4, 2022
Listen to this devotional:
Listen while you read: "Tell Me The Stories Of Jesus"1 (Lyrics)

I laughed … and I laughed … and I laughed. Yet, this was no laughing matter; it was intensely grievous. I had been "thrown under the bus" through a narcissist's typical weapon: scapegoating his victim in order to conceal his remorseless sloth. Yet I laughed. Strangely, laughter felt so good, so exhilarating, so freeing — down to the core. I felt relieved in knowing that I was not caught in this person's cruel hook. But he was certainly caught on God's hook … and that was bad for him:

Psalm 37:13 – But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. (NIV)

Formerly, I would have wrung my hands in distress. But that day, through my laughter, I felt strangely drawn to God. I found myself identifying with God's laughter. I remembered that He is not cowering in a corner of heaven wringing his hands, feeling overrun by wickedness. And that's not what He wants for you or me either!

Psalm 59:7-8 – See what [the wicked] spew from their mouths — they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?" But you, O Lord, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations. (NIV)

As society drifts, unabated godlessness is infiltrating all our societal networks. Calloused people readily shift the blame in order to avoid facing their sin problem. Moral integrity gets submerged by vindictiveness and exploitation. The ungodly engage in deceit at another's expense. They find easy targets among folk with a sensitive moral conscience.

Conscientious believers are bound to find themselves targeted at some point. When that happens, they may feel overly responsible and assume the burden for sins that they did not commit. They wonder what they did wrong, how they gave the wrong impression. They may experience guilt. They may engage in fruitless efforts to appease their accuser. This is not our Christian calling!

We have been given God's Spirit as our shield of faith to deflect these flaming arrows of false accusation. Thus, instead of cowering, we can boldly laugh with God.

But let's not forget that the same God Who laughs also rages, hates, grieves, and weeps over wickedness — all at the same time. Put together, these expressions reflect God's one supreme expression: His covenant love for fallen humanity. The same God Who laughs also gave His Son to die by the hands of remorseless sinners.

This Son, our beloved Saviour, will continue to be "thrown under the bus" by those who refuse to face their depravity. Still today, nations shake their fists at God's Anointed One. And still:

Psalm 2:4 – The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. (NIV)

We can laugh with God, even as we grieve with Him over sin's destructiveness. Meanwhile, we humbly trust Him to protect us, praying with the psalmist:

Prayer: You are my strength. I watch for You. You, God will go before me and You will let me gloat over those who slander me. You, God, are my fortress, my God on Whom I can rely. Amen. (adapted from Psalm 59:9-10)

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About the author:

Diane Eaton <d.eaton@bmts.com>
Paisley, Ontario, Canada

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1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    Thank you.


    Thanks for the encouraging words, Diane.


    Thanks, Diane. This is an excellent approach to deal with life in today’s.


    I don’t understand this quite, Diane? But the laughing certainly sounds healing, as does your writing about it.


    Thank you, Diane. And I just came through this experience, and I am laughing with God. It all came out, just as He planned.


    That was really powerful, Diane, I’ll bet those who suffer from emotional abuse will find your devotional to be encouraging and empowering.


    Thanks, Diane, for another of your very special and informative devotionals. Yes, our God is truly our fortress in any situation we must face and for that we need be very thankful. Blessings for these writings you do.


    Oh Diane, this is unfortunately a common experience for those who diligently seek to follow God’s will (which truly distresses the evil forces), but God inevitably wins! Sin loses. Period. Thanks for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.


    Good morning, Diane,
    I believe with age we gain perspective and can laugh at many more things in life which before would have really bothered us. This is true for me and some others that I know. As we grow on our path to a more mature faith, life becomes clearer, and we worry less about things that are not ours to carry.
    I am glad that you had a great laugh, and you weren’t distressed by someone else’s actions. We can only control our own with the help of God along the way.
    Thanks for sharing your experience and your reaction to the situation. Wishing you lots of laughter and joy in your life. Blessings.


    Good morning Diane. Amazing message. Over my 36-year career in the Federal Public Service I worked with my share of narcissists.
    Psalm 37:13 – But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. (NIV)
    Sounds like what people refer to as Karma. Sometimes it feels like forever before wicked people ‘get their’s’. I have learned to God, I tell myself ‘In God’s time”.

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