She Laughs

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The past few years I have been learning to work with yarn—both knitting and crocheting. Lately I have been learning to change colors mid-stream. Not being an expert, I often struggle with transitioning—ending and weaving in one color and beginning another. And it shows!

So it is in life. The end of one journey is a sure sign of the beginning of another. No matter how hard or even wonderful the ending may be, the beginning holds out hope like a torch. In our races, we grasp the torch and press on, running ahead.

However, the transition again can create potential for stumbling, especially if we focus on anything other than the giver of the torch.

We struggle with transitioning—all of us. The enemy often targets those times with loss and lies and attaches liabilities to us. He hopes we will stumble. He intends to take our joy, and above all, he wants us to limp hopelessly into the next race. It is his purpose.

But God has a purpose for our lives, too. He means for us to stand in strength, take with courage, walk in victory and run with joyful and passionate purpose. He wants us to laugh.

Laugh, you ask? Yes, laugh! In utter abandon of trust and perfect peace, He tells us it is quite appropriate to laugh.

Lately my family has faced some hard challenges, stumbling stones and great disappointments. We know that one color is ending and an unknown color is beginning—we find ourselves in transition.

So as I was cooking supper one day, I distinctly heard the still small voice of God whisper over me, “She laughs at the day to come.” I paused and thought, “Me? How Lord?  How can I laugh?  Lately, I have cried a lot—wailed even—over these losses. Goodness, I cannot even keep up with all that needs to be done! Lord, how did she arrive at laughter? For I believe that is the key for me right now.”

Step by step, the Lord began unfolding these truths to me:

  • She did not laugh because of all that she had done in preparation for her family; she laughed because she had firmly planted her feet on the immovable Rock, which is God. She laughed because she fully trusted in Him, not the work of her own hands– a sure stumbling stone of the enemy.
  • She laughed because the same God, who had clothed her in strength and dignity, was her confidence. This in particular was the root of my own disappointment. I had clothed myself in the confidence of a circumstance and the dignity with which that place would bring. It was all a façade—a set-up for sinking-sand disappointment.
  • She continued using the resources she had; and with an intentional watchfulness for other resources God would send her way, she faithfully stewarded what God provided. Not only did she steward it for her own family, she multiplied it to others. She laughed at the days to come because she focused not on herself or her wants, she listened and trusted in the voice of God and faithfully did what He said. She did not stumble taking the torch, for her eyes focused solely on the Faithful One handing it to her—the One who prepared her for the journey.

She laughed. She ran. She walked. She took. She trusted–and so can I…so can we.

For the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus, is our strong tower and immovable Rock. What He does and what He purposes is good. He knows how to tie in the sloppy endings. He knows how to weave in the new colors. In this transition, He makes the way smooth. We need only trust Him and keep our focus upon Him.

And it shall be said of us, “She laughs.”—and a holy laughter it is.

Stephanie Shott
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