Casandra Martin

There is nothing quite like a good cry. You know what I mean. Sometimes the only thing that helps is letting the tears flow. A good cry eases the tightness that grabs hold of our hearts and the squeeze that stress and worry wrap around our souls. Tears don’t usually change our circumstances, but having a chance to release those emotions clears our perspective, allowing us to take a deep breath and gather up the courage to take the next step. Contrary to what the world often tells us, a good cry, especially with a friend, is an act of grace.

Here’s my reality. I do my share of crying. Things get overwhelming or my heart gets weary, and I can go through the tissues with the best of them. The truth is that it is laughter that I struggle with. As God teaches us about how to use His gift of time, He reminds us that there is “…a time to weep, and a time to laugh;” (Ecclesiastes 3:4a). I don’t know about you, but laughter gets lost in my days. Between the busy, the hurry, the deadlines, and just the grind of the ordinary, I go through too many days without taking the time to relax and laugh. Studies show that children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15-20 times a day. What did Jesus say? “Unless you become like a little child…”

My Jesus Resolution today is to have a good cry and a good laugh. God gives us time for both. I’m going to cry when I need to, knowing that He bottles my tears and understands my pain. I am also going to laugh…hard. We know that our society tells us to take things seriously, get down to business, and work harder so that we will be successful. Perhaps, however, we would be better served if we laughed longer, smiled more, chuckled louder, and giggled faster. Our souls might be more luminous if we took the time to laugh every day.