I've found that God can turn my tears into dancing, replacing my pain with joy so that I can live with a happy heart. Life throws curveballs, no doubt, but I see those challenges as opportunities to lean on God, to truly know Him, and to live confidently in His powerful love.
So, I encourage you to smile. Laugh! Show whatever you're facing that you are more than a conqueror through Christ. Let joy fill you because of what the Lord is going to do in your life. Don't get bogged down in what's happening right now. Your joy will be restored, and you'll be able to laugh about the future because you have hope in the Lord, the One who lifts you up, sustains you, and never leaves your side.
Laugh, even if you're alone. Let your laughter ring out and confuse those things that try to bring you down. Even when things are tough, remember your Creator won't leave you on the ground. He'll lift you up, fight for you, give you victory, and help you break free from pain and fear.
You'll find your mouth filled with laughter, constantly praising His greatness, and your eyes will continue to see His goodness in this life.
At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
And the LORD said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I certainly bear a child, who am old?
Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yes, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time when their corn and their wine increased.
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless return with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labor which thou takest under the sun.
To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
These things have I spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
And now I come to thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
The LORD is my strength, and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
His lord said to him, Well done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.
The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yes, let them exceedingly rejoice.
For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
I say to you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, who need no repentance.
Likewise, I say to you, There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers to the prophets.
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory:
And if I am even offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
And Jesus said to them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they will fast.
And behold, they brought to him a man sick with the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee.
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, ate their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
Great is my boldness of speech towards you, great is my glorying concerning you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
The LORD hath done great things for us; of which we are glad.
Verily, verily, I say to you, that ye will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice: and ye will be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
Woe to you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe to you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thy heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted to thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come to thee.
Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy to our Lord: neither be ye sad; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;