“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: . . .A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4
Have you ever been in a situation, and the outcome was unexpected and your response was, “I don’t know whether to laugh or to cry”?
Many years ago I was travelling with my sister and we had just arrived into Finland from Sweden by boat. As we disembarked, someone ahead of us had their dog with them and this dog could not wait to get outside to relieve himself, so he relieved himself right there in the terminal. My sister was pulling along her suitcase. It was an old suitcase and unstable and she was pulling it with a strap. The minute we passed the dog’s feces, her suitcase fell over right on top of it. Of course, I found the situation rather amusing and could not refrain from laughing. In picking up her suitcase, some of the residue went on her clothing. At that point in time, my sister did not know whether to laugh or to cry. She hastily went to get some paper towels in the washroom to try to wash it off.
Although this situation is a little humorous, there are serious times in life in which people may not know whether to laugh or to cry.
Here are a few examples:
A Christian woman dies during the birth of her child. Shall the father rejoice, thanking God for the new birth, or weep over his lost loved one?
Maybe you have a child that you have been praying for, for years, and God finally answered your prayers and the prayers of your spouse. When the child was born it was found to have some genetic defect that would require lifelong care. Do you rejoice over the birth? Or cry over the many years ahead of care and expense that you will have to provide?
You find the truth and espouse it with great rejoicing, but you lose your job because of the Sabbath. Or perhaps your spouse leaves you on your baptism day. Do you rejoice or cry?
There is a person who has been tormenting you for many years. One day they get a heart attack and are hospitalized for months. Do you rejoice or weep?
You get cut off by another car while driving, and further on you see that they have been in an accident, do you stop and help? Do you weep at their loss or do you rejoice?
Then there are times also when people laugh or weep at the wrong times.
You see someone slip on a banana peel and it looks humorous, so you laugh. They end up hitting their head on the pavement and getting a concussion. Your laughter quickly subsides. It was inevitable that they would get hurt, so why laugh in the first place?
Or perhaps your son or daughter finds a wonderful spouse in the church, but moves to a different part of the world, because the spouse is a missionary. You cry
and cry because you will miss this child so much, but you should be laughing and rejoicing. They married a good person in the church and a missionary. They are spiritually on the right track and one day they will be in heaven if they continue and you can spend eternity with them.
So the question is, shall I laugh or weep? When and why? The Lord delights to see His children laugh when they are joyful. We have a saying in English, “laugher is the best medicine.” This saying originated from King Solomon’s words: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:” Proverbs 17:22. This is pure, innocent joy and laughter.
But, are we happy, joyful, and laughing all the time? Or are there times when we are sad and weep? Clearly Solomon mentioned in Ecclesiastes, that there is “a time to weep, and a time to laugh”.
Let us explore this a little.
There are actually two types of laughter. There is the laughter of pure, innocent joy and there is the sarcastic satanic laughter when you laugh at someone’s misfortune, or laughter and mirth at pleasure parties of the world. Solomon states regarding this second type of laughter, “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?” Ecclesiastes 2:1–2. Solomon says there is no lasting joy from this type of laughter.
Luke contrasts the laughter and joy of the world to the joy of the Christian. Although Christians initially may feel emotions of sadness and shed tears when things go wrong, once they turn to Jesus, this sadness is turned into joy. “Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.” Luke 6:21
Of the unbeliever, Luke agrees with Solomon that the mirth and laughter of the world is not lasting. “Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.” Luke 6:25
REJOICE
“A time to laugh . . . a time to dance.”
Ecclesiastes 3:4
In this verse, Solomon mentioned the pure, innocent laughter and joy that a Christian can experience in Christ. The reality is that the Bible is bursting with joy and happiness. Heaven is a place of rejoicing and the Lord wants you to be there. He wants heaven to begin for you on this earth.
However, it is sometimes difficult to laugh and rejoice when you have just gone through a difficult and trying experience and you feel like weeping, but we have examples of people in the Bible who did just that.
It is said of the Apostles, after being released from prison. “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” Acts 5:41. They were happy, joyous, praising the Lord.
Paul and Silas rejoiced and sang songs in prison. (Acts 16:25).“It was this joy that filled the hearts of Paul and Silas when they prayed and sang praises to God at midnight in the Philippian dungeon. Christ was beside them there, and the light of His presence irradiated the gloom with the glory of the courts above.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 35
The Apostle Paul never complained about his trials. In fact he wrote to us that we are to, “Rejoice evermore.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16. If you read the verse before this (verse 15), Paul says, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.”
When would you want to render evil to someone? As a true Christian, hopefully never. However, we are human and we slip up now and then, unfortunately. For most people who are good moral citizens, the only time they would consider rendering evil for evil is in revenge, when they, or a loved one, have been mistreated. Thus, if we have been mistreated, we should not seek revenge, but “rejoice evermore.” And Paul continues in verse 17 to say, “Pray without ceasing.” It is not easy to rejoice when mistreated, unless we do as is recommended, “Pray without ceasing.” That is the only way to be able to rejoice in a bad situation. And then finally, Paul adds in verse 18, “in everything give thanks.” Paul did not say give thanks, only in good times—but give thanks in everything. If we rejoice, and pray without ceasing, then we can give thanks in all things, whether good or bad. We can laugh and rejoice, not weep.
Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 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 unto the prophets.” Luke 6:22–23. Interesting use of words here. Luke tells us to leap for joy when we are reproached for the name of Christ.
Matthew wrote the words that Jesus spoke: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:10–12
Peter agreed with him. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.” 1 Peter 4:12–14
James wrote: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” James 1:2. James does not say, “if” we fall into temptation. He says, “when” we fall. It is inevitable that we will encounter temptations periodically (which includes sickness, persecution, poverty, and calamity). Such situations are often unexpected and unwelcome, but be joyful. It is not a time to weep and mourn. And, why? “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3–4
There is no experience in life, however bitter or disappointing it may be, that the providence of God and the grace of Christ will not contribute to Christian growth and bring us closer to God, enriching our understanding of His love for us. So, laugh and rejoice because God will have the last word in the great controversy between good and evil.
Be happy, laugh, rejoice—the Lord is working for your character preparation for heaven and the devil cannot call you his own, if you are in Christ. His trials cannot disturb your oneness with Christ. Christian joy and courage are not based on external circumstances which may often be most forbidding, but on faith in God’s overruling providence.
As long as the great controversy rages between Christ and Satan, there will be trials to face which Satan hopes to use to destroy your faith. This is nothing new. We are made partakers of the suffering of Christ. It is not a time to weep and cry when in trials, but we should rejoice, knowing that God will work everything out for His good (Romans 8:28).
MOURN
“A time to weep . . . a time to mourn.” Ecclesiastes 3:4
There is a time to weep and mourn. When is this time? Although we are to laugh and rejoice in the midst of trials, we are human and will grieve and cry in times of distress and bereavement. But, we are not to remain in that state. Clearly though, Solomon stated that there is a time to weep and a time to mourn.
Firstly, I will mention a few instances when the Lord told His people they were not to mourn.
Samuel was mourning for King Saul’s fall from grace but the Lord said, it is time to stop mourning, I have work for you to do. “And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided Me a king among his sons.” 1 Samuel 16:1. When the work of the Lord seems to flounder, due to unconsecrated leaders, do not weep and mourn. Rejoice; the Lord is in control of His work. Pray for your leaders and help them.
In the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, again the people were told to stop mourning. “And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.” Nehemiah then encouraged the people by saying, “this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:9–10. Do not weep when you read the law. Yes, it is a high standard; but, the Lord has promised to help you reach it. It is not impossible.
When your crops fail (or you lose your source of income), is it a time to mourn? “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the
labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17–18 . No, not even then.
Now we will read a few statements of times when we should weep and mourn.
It is written that, “Jesus Wept.” John 11:35. Yes, He did. He shed tears of sadness. Jesus was touched with human sorrow. He wept, not for Himself. He wept for humanity. He weeps for you and for me, when we go astray. On the cross, He prayed, not for Himself, but for His tormentors. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34. Yes, there is a time to truly mourn. David said, “I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief.” Psalm 6:6–7
“Blessed are they also who weep with Jesus in sympathy with the world’s sorrow and in sorrow for its sin. In such mourning there is intermingled no thought of self. Jesus was the Man of Sorrows, enduring heart anguish such as no language can portray. His spirit was torn and bruised by the transgressions of men. He toiled with self-consuming zeal to relieve the wants and woes of humanity, and His heart was heavy with sorrow as He saw multitudes refuse to come to Him that they might have life. All who are followers of Christ will share in this experience. As they partake of His love they will enter into His travail for the saving of the lost. They share in the sufferings of Christ, and they will share also in the glory that shall be revealed. One with Him in His work, drinking with Him the cup of sorrow, they are partakers also of His joy.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 12–13. The promise is, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Psalm 126:5
Solomon wrote: “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. . . . For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 7:2–4, 6
And also, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.” Proverbs 14:12–13. This laughter in these verses is the evil sarcastic laughter of the world. This is clearly not Christlike. “Christian cheerfulness is not condemned by the Scriptures, but reckless talking is censured. Those who live in the last days should be circumspect in words and acts. Sobriety is more in accordance with our faith than levity.” –Manuscript Releases, vol. 18, p. 370
James puts it this way, “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.” James 4:9. This does not imply that the normal Christian life is to be characterized with gloomy sadness. He writes this to emphasize the point that the laughter of the world is not conducive to lasting happiness, and that sinners should feel the real wretchedness of their true spiritual state.
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
“It is right to be cheerful, and even joyful. It is right to cultivate cheerfulness of spirit through sanctification of the truth; but it is not right to indulge in foolish jesting and joking, in lightness and trifling, in words of criticism and condemnation of others. . . . What have they to mourn over? They should mourn over their inclination to sin, over the danger they are in from inward corruption and from outward temptation. They should be afraid because they have so feeble a sense of the sinfulness of sin, and so little idea of what constitutes sin.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 938
This is a serious thought. Are you afraid because you have a feeble sense of the sinfulness of sin? Do you mourn over your inclination to sin—every sin, whether large or small? Think carefully what each small sin cost the Son of God in your behalf. Contemplate it daily.
When people have their sins pointed out, often worldly people laugh and say, “The devil made me do it.” While this is true, is it something to laugh about? This saying originated with Eve in Eden; however, I doubt she laughed about it as people do today.
The true Christian will not make excuses, but will weep when their sins are pointed out. “The mourning here brought to view is true heart sorrow for sin. Jesus says, ‘I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.’ John 12:32. And as one is drawn to behold Jesus uplifted on the cross, he discerns the sinfulness of humanity. He sees that it is sin which scourged and crucified the Lord of glory. He sees that, while he has been loved with unspeakable tenderness, his life has been a continual scene of ingratitude and rebellion. He has forsaken his best Friend and abused heaven’s most precious gift. He has crucified to himself the Son of God afresh and pierced anew that bleeding and stricken heart. He is separated from God by a gulf of sin that is broad and black and deep, and he mourns in brokenness of heart.
“Such mourning ‘shall be comforted.’ God reveals to us our guilt that we may flee to Christ, and through Him be set free from the bondage of sin, and rejoice in the liberty of the sons of God. In true contrition we may come to the foot of the cross, and there leave our burdens. –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 9–10. While we weep and mourn over our condition, we shall be comforted. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5
It is a deep sense of spiritual need that leads to this kind of mourning—for the imperfections we see in our own lives. Christ speaks of those who, in poverty of spirit, long to reach the standard of perfection. There is comfort here also for those who mourn also for bereavement (which is natural—we are human), disappointment, or other sorrow. Comfort is promised. Jesus meets the mourning sinner with the comfort of sins forgiven. Unless there is a sense of need, there will not be mourning for what one lacks—righteousness of character.
”To every stricken one, Jesus comes with the ministry of healing. The life of bereavement, pain, and suffering may be brightened by precious revealings of His presence. . . . The Lord has special grace for the mourner, and its power is to melt hearts, to win souls. His love opens a channel into the wounded and bruised soul, and becomes a healing balsam to those who sorrow.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 12–13. “Christ lifts up the contrite heart and refines the mourning soul until it becomes His abode.” –Ibid., p. 11. And they can laugh again.
We are not only to be happy and rejoice ourselves, but to share this joy with others who are mourning. “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1–3
The apostle Paul never tires of repeating the fact that holy joy is one of the chief duties and privileges of the Christian. He wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4. Life can be tough. If you do not know whether to laugh or to cry, choose laughter. The Lord is always the same, yesterday, today, and forever. His love, His power and His consideration are the same in times of affliction as in times of prosperity. Christ’s ability to give peace to the heart does not depend on external circumstances; so the heart that is centred on Him may constantly rejoice.
“Wherever we go, we should carry an atmosphere of Christian hopefulness and cheer; then those who are out of Christ will see attractiveness in the religion we profess; unbelievers will see the consistency of our faith. We need to have more distinct glimpses of heaven, the land where all is brightness and joy. We need to know more of the fullness of the blessed hope. If we are constantly ‘rejoicing in hope,’ we shall be able to speak words of encouragement to those whom we meet. ‘A word spoken in due season, how good is it!’”–Lift Him Up, p. 244
“We must live by faith daily. . . . Rejoice in God always. Today praise God for His grace, and continue to praise Him every day.” – This Day with God, p. 58
There is “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” Rest in the arms of Jesus.
Amen
Wendy Eaton