Have you ever noticed how hard it is to get the perfect snapshot of someone laughing at something funny that happened? You've got to be quick if you're going to capture someone's reaction to something funny. I noticed this several times during Christmas. My husband and I gave a couple of funny gifts, and we were so excited to see the recipients' reaction to the gifts. Bryant would hold the camera up in the air, pointed at the person unwrapping the gift...waiting for the perfect second to take the picture so we could have that snapshot of them laughing to remember forever.
I've noticed this in my own life recently. My life is filled with so many blessings, but we all have days that we wish would never have started. We have problems we wish we could fix, but we can't. And many times, I get so focused on my problems and the things that are wrong, and that's all I can think about! Then I flip through mental snapshots in my brain...something funny that happened, or a time when I was experiencing great joy, and I think..."why can't I feel like that right now?" I long to feel that happiness in my moment of my frustration over my problem or situation.
Reading through Proverbs 31 today, I stopped on a part of the verse. "She can laugh at the days to come." But I can't help but wonder, did she always feel that way? Really? I mean, yes, her husband calls her blessed. Yes, her children are protected and have what they need. Yes, she is praised by others in the city gates because of how great she is. But, did she ever have days where she just didn't think she could go on? Did she ever feel tired and worn out from taking care of everybody and making sure everything was perfect? Did she sometimes sit and think of the snapshots of days when she wasn't as tired and didn't have so many responsibilities...times when someone wasn't sick or when money wasn't so hard to come by? I mean, I know everyone refers to her as "the perfect Proverbs 31 woman." Let's face it though, she wasn't Jesus! I think the truth is that she did sometimes have these thoughts. I think sometimes she did feel overwhelmed by all of her responsibilities...and the expectations of her husband, children, and those in the city gates. But I would like to think that her glory was in the fact that she didn't sit and dwell in those thoughts. 2 Cor. 10:5 says, "and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ." She didn't let those thoughts and feelings become her identity and dictate her mood. She didn't waste her time thinking and talking about how life used to be or could be better. Her attitude was like David in Psalm 17:15 "...when I awake I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness." She quoted Psalm 23 often "...He restores my soul." Her heart's desire was to bring God glory! She knew that even though at times she may feel tired and weary, she was being obedient to her Lord, and if that's what it took, that was what she did. She knew God had called her to live on this earth for His glory, and this is the reason "she can laugh at the days to come."
We live to bring God glory! No matter what it takes. No matter what situation we've had to walk through or we are walking through presently. If we are living obediently and walking in His way, then He has a plan for us. David lived and experienced both good and bad circumstances but he said in Psalm 37:25 "I have been young and now I am old and I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread." Although at times I feel overwhelmed by my circumstances or by the uncertainty of the future, I know that I am living to bring God glory. It's not always the way I would choose to let Him be glorified through me if I was in charge, but it's great to know that He sees a much bigger picture than we see. Because He is in control, we CAN laugh at the days to come!
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