Choosing to smile authentically, and even bringing a smile to someone else's face, can be a truly good thing, when the time and place are right. It's all about seeing a smile as something positive, a way to lift your own spirits and maybe even help someone else along the way.
Of course, too much of anything isn't good. There's a sweet spot between being overly serious and plastering on a fake smile. It's a balance where wisdom and joy, seriousness and a genuine smile can exist together beautifully. Everything has its time and place.
Laughter is an expression of the freedom Christ gave us through his loving sacrifice. And a heartfelt smile can be incredibly healing, especially for a hurting heart. Smiling through pain and rejoicing in your Creator – that’s what God wants for you, always.
I don't know what you're going through right now, but I want to encourage you to dry your tears, lift your head, and smile again. Because in Jesus, you have so much to be joyful about.
At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh; neither shalt thou be afraid of the chayyat ha'aretz.
These things I have spoken to you that the simcha of me may be in you and the simcha of you may be made shleimah.
Thou wilt show me the Orach Chayyim (the path of life); in Thy presence is fulness of joy, at Thy right hand there are pleasures netzach (for evermore).
A lev same'ach maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the lev the ruach is broken.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and leshoneinu (our tongue) with rinnah (joyful song); then said they among the Goyim, Hashem hath done great things for them.
An et (season) to weep, and an et (season) to laugh; an et (season) to mourn, and an et (season) to dance;
Oz (strength) and hadar (dignity) are her clothing; and her smile is toward the yom acharon (coming day, future).
(9) The precepts of Hashem are yasharim (right), rejoicing the lev; the mitzvat Hashem is bara (clear, pure), enlightening the eyes.
Hashem is my strength and my mogen; my lev trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my lev greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I thank Him.
[6] For His anger endureth but a rega; in His favor is Chayyim; weeping may endure for an erev, but joy cometh in the boker.
And she said, Elohim hath brought me tzechok (laughter), so that all that hear yitzchak (will laugh) with me.
Have simcha always.Daven unceasingly.In everything offer hodayah, for this is the ratzon Hashem in Moshiach Yehoshua for you.
[12] Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with simcha;
Sing with joy in Hashem, O ye tzaddikim; for tehillah is fitting for the yesharim (upright ones).
For as is the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the kesil; this also is hevel.
(6) Why art thou cast down, O my nefesh? And why groanest thou (i.e., murmuring in discouragement) within me? Hope thou in (i.e., wait for) Elohim; for I shall yet give Him thanks, for He is the yeshuah (salvation) of my countenance and Elohai.
(14) Restore unto me the sasson of Thy salvation; and uphold me with a ruach nedivah (a willing spirit; see Jer 31:31-34).
(4) But let the tzaddikim have simchah; let them rejoice before Elohim; and, let them rejoice with simchah.
[5] Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and have simcha in Thee; and let such as love Thy Yeshuah (salvation) say continually, Let Elohim be magnified.
O satisfy us baboker with Thy chesed; that we may sing for joy and be glad kol yameinu (all our days).
(5) For Thou, Hashem, hast made me glad through Thy work; I will joy in the works of Thy hands.
O come, let us sing unto Hashem; let us make a joyful noise to the Tzur of our salvation.Let us come before His presence with todah, and extol Him with zemirot (joyful songs).
Ohr dawns for the tzaddik, and simchah for the yishrei lev (upright in heart).Rejoice in Hashem, ye tzaddikim; and give thanks at the remembrance of His kodesh (holiness).
Make a joyful noise unto Hashem, kol ha'aretz; make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
They that sow in dimah (tears) shall reap in rinnah (joyful song).He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing meshek hazara (seed to be sown) shall doubtless come again with rinnah, bearing his alummot (sheaves [of harvest]).
Shir HaMa'alot Ashrei kol yerei (fearers of) Hashem; that walketh in His drakhim.For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be tov with thee.
Ashrei (happy) is the man that findeth chochmah, and the man that getteth tevunah (understanding).
The prospect of the tzaddikim shall be simchah, but the tikveh of the resha'im shall perish.
The ohr (light) of the tzaddik rejoiceth, but the ner (lamp) of the resha'im (wicked) shall be put out.
Even in shekhok (laughter) the lev is sad, and the acharit (latter end) of that simchah is grief.
A lev marpeh (sound mind) is life to the basar, but kinah (envy) is the rottenness of the atzmot (bones).
All the days of the oni are ra'im, but he that is of a tov lev hath a mishteh tamid (a continual feast).
The ohr (light) of the eynayim rejoiceth the lev, and a good report giveth health to the etzem.
He that wisely heeds the Davar shall find tov (good), and he who trusteth in Hashem, happy is he.
It is simchah to the tzaddik to do mishpat, but terror for the po'alei aven (workers of iniquity).
For to the adam that is pleasing in His sight, Hashem gives chochmah, and da'as, and simchah; but to the choteh (sinner) Hashem giveth travail; Hashem giveth the work of gathering and storing up, that Hashem may give to him that pleases HaElohim. This also is hevel and chasing after ruach.
I have da'as that there is nothing better for adam, than that they have simchah and do tov while they live.And also that kol haAdam should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his amal. This is a gift of Elohim.
Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that the adam find simchah in his ma’asim; for that is his chelek; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
(5:18) Also kol ha’adam to whom HaElohim hath given osher and possessions, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his chelek, and to rejoice in his amal; this is the gift of Elohim.
In the yom tovah be joyful, but in the yom ra'ah consider: HaElohim also hath set the one over against the other in such a way that adam may not find out anything that will come after him.
Go thy way, eat thy lechem with simchah, and drink thy yayin with a lev tov; for HaElohim now accepteth thy ma'asim.
Hinei, El is my Yeshuah (Salvation); I will trust, and not be afraid; for Hashem G-d is my strength and my zemirah; He also has become my Yeshuah (Salvation).Therefore with sasson shall ye draw mayim out of the wells of Yeshuah (Salvation).
And the Peduyei Hashem (ransomed ones of Hashem) shall return, and come to Tziyon with songs and simchat olam (everlasting joy) upon their heads; they shall obtain sasson (joy) and simchah (gladness), and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Therefore the Redeemed of Hashem shall return, and come with singing unto Tziyon; and simchat olam shall be upon their rosh; they shall obtain sasson and simchah; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
For ye shall go out with simcha, and be led back with shalom; the harim and the geva'ot (hills) shall break forth into singing before you, and kol atzei hasadeh shall clap their hands.
To grant unto Avelei Tziyon (Mourners of Zion), giving unto them a flower wreath instead of ashes, the shemen sasson (oil of joy) instead of avel (mourning), the garment of tehillah (praise) for the ruach of keheh (fainting, a heavy spirit); that they might be called Eilei HaTzedek (Oaks of Righteousness), the planting of Hashem, that He might be glorified.
But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, hinei, I create Yerushalayim a rejoicing, and her people a joy.And I will rejoice in Yerushalayim, and joy in Ami; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying out.
Thy Devarim were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Davar was unto me the sasson and simchat levavi; for I am called by Thy Shem, Hashem Elohei Tzva'os.
(12) Then shall the betulah rejoice in the machol (dance), both bocherim (young men) and zekenim together; for I will turn their evel (mourning) into sasson (joy), and will comfort them, and make them have simcha from their sorrow.
Hashem thy G-d in the midst of thee is gibbor; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with simchah; He will quiet [you] in His ahavah (love), He will joy over thee with singing.
Have simcha (joy) and lev sameach (glad heart), for your sachar (reward) is great in Shomayim, for thus they persecuted the Neviim before you.
And whenever you undergo a tzom (fast), don’t be like the sullen tzevuim (hypocrites), for they disfigure their faces to parade their tzom (fast). Omein, truly I say to you, they have received their sachar (reward).But when you undergo a tzom, anoint your rosh with shemen (oil) and wash your faceso that your tzom is concealed from Bnei Adam but not from your Av Asher b’Seter (Father Who is in Secret). And your Av HaRoeh b’seter (Father the One seeing in secret) will give you sachar.
And hinei! They brought to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach a paralytic lying upon a mat. Having seen their emunah, he said to the paralytic, Chazak! (Be strong!) Selicha (forgiveness) is granted on your averos (sins)!
And his Adon said to him, Shkoyach (well done), eved tov vneeman (good and faithful servant)! A few things you were faithful over, over many things I will ordain you. Enter into the simchah of your Adon.
And they departed quickly from the kever with fear and great simcha and ran to report everything to Moshiach’s talmidim.
ALATZ LIBI BAHASHEM (My heart rejoices in Hashem SHMUEL ALEF 2:1) and my neshamah exalts in Hashem Yishi (G-d my savior, Moshi’a) CHABAKUK 3:18, [TEHILLIM 18:46; YESHAYAH 17:10; 61:10]
Ashrey are the ones hungering now, for you will eat your fill. Ashrey are the ones weeping now, for you will laugh [YESHAYAH 55:1,2; 61:2,3].
But in this do not have a lev sameach, on account of the ruchot submitting to you, but have lev sameach that your shemot have been inscribed in Shomayim.
I say to you that in the same way there will be more simcha in Shomayim over one choteh (sinner) who becomes a baal teshuva than over tishim vteshah tzaddikim who have no need of teshuva.
In the same way, I say to you, there is simcha in the presence of the malachim Hashem over one choteh (sinner) who becomes a baal teshuva.
Omein, omein, I say to you, that there will be bechi (weeping) and avelut (mourning), but the Olam Hazeh will have simcha. You will have agmat nefesh, but your agmat nefesh (grief) will become simcha [TEHILLIM 30:6 (5)]
Therefore, you have agmat nefesh (grief) now, [YIRMEYAH 31:12] but again I will see you, and your levavot will have rejoicing [YESHAYAH 66:14 TARGUM HASHIVIM] and the simcha of you no one takes from you.
And now to You I am coming, and I speak these things in the Olam Hazeh that they may have my simcha made shleimah in themselves.
TODIEINI ORACH CHAYYIM SOVA SEMACHOT ES PANECHA ("You made known to me the path of Chayyim, you will fill me with simcha in your presence.") [TEHILLIM 16:8-11]
Through whom also we have HaSha'ar laHashem (gate to appoach G-d's presence, access of the Tzaddikim TEHILLIM 118:20) by emunah into this unmerited Chen v'Chesed in which we stand and glory in tikvah of the kavod Eloheinu.Not only so, but we also glory in tzoros (troubles, afflictions), knowing that tzarah (trouble) produces zitzfleisch (patience),
For the Malchut Hashem is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of tzedek (righteousness, DANIEL 9:24), shalom (peace) and simcha b'Ruach Hakodesh.
May the Elohei HaTikvah (the G-d of hope) fill you with simcha and shalom in believing, that you may overflow in tikvah (hope), in the ko'ach (power) of the Ruach Hakodesh.
I have much ometz lev (boldness) and confidence toward you. I glory much on your behalf. I have been filled with chozek (strength). I am filled to overflowing with simcha at all of our tzoros.
But the p'ri of the Ruach HaKodesh is ahavah (agape), simcha (joy), shalom (peace), zitzfleisch (patience), nedivut (generosity, kindness), chesed (loving-kindness), ne'emanut (faithfulness),Anavah (meekness, shiflut, lowliness), shlitah atzmi (self-control)...would you not agree?--against these things there is no isser (proscription in the Torah).
Always in every tefillah of mine on behalf of all of you, davening with simcha, making techinnah (supplication)
And in the same way also you have simcha, rejoicing together with me [l:4,18;1:25;2:2,17].
As to the rest, Achim b'Moshiach of mine, have simcha in Adoneinu [1:25; 2:18,28,29; 4:4]. To keep writing the zelba thing [l:4,18; 1:25; 2:2,17,18, 28,29] to you is not an irksome bother to me, but for you it is a te’udat bitachon (safeguard).
And the shalom Hashem [YESHAYAH 26:3; Yn 14:27; Co. 3:15], surpassing all binah (understanding), will guard your levavot and your machshavot (thoughts) in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
With all ko'ach being empowered according to the gevurah (power) of his kavod for all zitzfleisch (patience) and savlanut (longsuffering) with lev same'ach (glad heart),
Let the dvar of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach make its mishkan in you richly, in all chochmah and in all Moshiach’s pnimiyus haTorah (innermost Torah teaching) and words of chizzuk, ministering to one another with Tehillim, shirim, and neshamah niggunim miRuach Hakodesh (soul melodies from the Ruach Hakodesh) with gratitude, singing in your levavot to Hashem. [TEHILLIM 47:7]
And you became imitators of us and of Adoneinu, having received the Dvar Hashem (the Word of the L-rd) in much redifah (persecution) with the simcha of the Ruach HaKodesh,
Fixing our gaze on the Mekhonen (Founder) of our [Orthodox Messianic Jewish] faith, and the One who makes it Shleimut-- Yehoshua, who because of the simcha set before him, endured HaEtz HaMoshiach, disregarding its bushah (shame), and "sat down at the right hand of the throne of G-d" TEHILLIM 110:1).
Consider it all simcha, my Achim b'Moshiach, whenever you fall into various nisayonos (tests, trials),Because you have da'as that the emunah you have, when it is tested, produces savlanut (patient endurance).
If anyone is suffering among you, let him daven. If anyone has simcha, let him sing niggunim. [Ps 50:15]
He is the one for whom you have ahavah, even though you have not seen him. Though you do not now see him, you have emunah in him [as Moshiach] and rejoice with simcha inexpressible and full of kavod,
But in so far as you share in the yissurim (sufferings) of Moshiach, in the Chevlei HaMoshiach, be glad that also in the Hisgalus (Revelation, Apocalypse) of his Kavod, you may have simcha and sasson.
[12] But let all those that take refuge in Thee rejoice; let them shout for joy l'olam, and spread Thou protection over them that they be joyful in Thee, who love Shemecha (Thy Name).
Be glad in Hashem, and rejoice, ye tzaddikim; and shout for joy, all ye yishrei lev (upright in heart).
By peysha (transgression) an ish rah is snared, but the tzaddik doth sing and have simchah.
Then I commended simchah, because a man hath no better thing under the shemesh, than to eat, and to drink, and to have simchah; for that shall accompany him in his amal the yamim of his life, which HaElohim giveth him under the shemesh.
(2) Thou shalt multiply the Goy (Nation), and increase its simchah; they joy before Thee according to the simchat baKatzir, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
As to the rest, Achim b'Moshiach, whatever things are emes (truth), nichbad (noble), yashar (straight), tahor (clean), male No'am (full of pleasantness) and tiferet (beauty) [SHEMOT 28:2], whatever things are commendable, if there is any virtue, if any praise, think about these things.