Laughing at the Days to Come

Wondering how you can laugh at the future instead of tremble in fear?

Have you ever turned on the news? Do you know what’s happening in the world today? It can be very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that everything is doom and gloom – Chicken Little, the sky is falling.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

One of my absolute favorite Bible verses about women is Proverbs 31: 25:

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”

What’s so laughable?

As a woman who’s prone to imagining the worst possible situations and then wondering if they just might happen, I know it’s not always easy to think happy thoughts about the future. Yet I LOVE the idea of laughing at the days to come!

The Proverbs 31 woman is a fantastic inspiration that even if and when the world is collapsing all around us, we can still find joy and peace.

Do you know why she, along with countless other women through the ages, could do this?

It’s her unshakable faith.

In Proverbs 31:30, it’s revealed that she’s a woman who fears the Lord.

Her fear of the Lord – and her belief and trust in Him – is what gives her noble character. It’s where she finds her strength. It’s why she can be dignified. It’s how she can laugh at the future.

When You’re Not In Control

There are many wonderful things that happen when a woman surrenders her life to Christ. (That’s done by praying for Jesus to take over, save the wreck you’re in, and be Lord of your life … because you can’t do it on your own and you need Him.)

Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10). That life and immortality is a hugely wonderful thing – and something that can help you look to the future with contentment and anticipation.

While you’re living out day-to-day life, though, you also can experience incomprehensible peace that guards your heart and mind from the worries of this world.

Walking closely to Christ, you’ll bear the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All are truly wonderful benefits you could never fully experience in your own power.

In a life that’s surrendered to Christ, there’s no need to worry. That alone can help you laugh at the days to come. That kind of life also will naturally overflow with both strength and dignity – it’s impossible for the overflow not to happen.

Bad News, Good News

The bad news – if you can consider it bad – is that you can’t do this on your own. Just trying to live on your own with a peaceful, contented expectation for the future won’t happen. There’s no 10-step program to make it so.

But the good news – and it’s very good news – is that you don’t have to do it on your own. You don’t have to try to figure it out. Jesus took care of it for you and me, and when we’re willing to let go of our tight grip on our own lives and let Him take over, He will.

I can assure you, with every ounce of my being, that letting Him take over was the best decision I’ve made in my entire life. He’s added strength and dignity to my life – and He gives me good reason to laugh at the days to come.

Practical Preparations

I think there’s another reason the Proverbs 31 woman could confidently live and laugh at the future: she was prepared for it.

She worked hard and made sure her business was profitable.
She planned ahead and gathered food for her family.
She prepared for all kinds of situations– and she prepared both her family and home.

Pair her thoughtful preparation for life with her faith, and you have a woman who was incredibly strong, dignified, and had no fear of the future.

As modern-day women seeking to live a life like the Proverbs 31 woman, we can learn and imitate much from her prepared example.

Want to learn more from the Proverbs 31 woman? Read Hilary Bernstein’s eBook, Becoming a Modern-Day Proverbs 31 Woman.

Is your faith strong enough that you feel like you can laugh at the days to come? If so, how can you keep building on that faith? If not, what church or Bible study can you get involved with to grow in your faith?

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Hilary

Hilary Bernstein is a Christ follower, wife, homeschooling mama, and writer who helps women experience God's perfect peace in messy, imperfect life. She's happiest when she's hosting friends and family for dinner, going on date nights with her husband, singing along to the radio, traveling with her family, and spending cozy nights at home. The author of fifteen books,Hilary also is Women's Ministry Director at The Chapel in Green, Ohio.