Fake Smiles

Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief. Proverbs 14:13

Who says the Bible is irrelevant? The fact is, it is filled with truth, from Genesis to Revelation, showing birth, life and death in a real context. The above verse is one of those uneasy truths, and somehow I know you will relate, but it is equally good to hold onto the verse: “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3”. It’s not only in the Bible, the secular world knows this truth too, and is mirrored in the words of the old song:

Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
you’ll get by If you smile through your fear and sorrow.

How do you know the smile of the heartbroken or sorrowful? You don’t. It’s as simple as that. I was reminded again today that the folks who can smile convincingly, are the very ones who carry the heaviest load. You might think they are just good actors, but I happen to believe they have a very keen sense of their own humanity and mortality. Not in a morbid sense, but in such a way that they see life more clearly, and that includes being thankful for all that God has given them in the here and now.

I would be the last person to wish ill health or heartache on anyone, but when you are close to Jesus, you believe that everything will work out in His plan. On a personal level I had a lot of difficulty with Romans 8:28, but that was because I was looking on as my loved one went through the growing stages of cancer, and yet I saw that same trusting spirit in another fine Christian lady today. Neither would think negatively because they trusted the verse completely, but mostly because they have full confidence in their Saviour. And that’s exactly what Jesus would do in whatever form it takes. Jesus would ‘save’, and He does, because He was and is a ‘Saviour’. So, when you are having a really hard time, and as difficult as it sounds, take this verse to heart. Romans 8:28 is still true and it works today: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”