When being seated by a host or hostess at a restaurant they usually tell you your waiter or waitresses name and then say something like, “Enjoy your meal.” When entering an amusement park, a campsite, or another recreation, an attendant usually says something along the lines of, “Have a good time.” When a parent drops their child off for a sleepover at a friends house, the parent usually says something like, “Have fun!” These statements encompass the sentiments most people wish to experience. They want to experience happiness, laughter, and jocularity. Each of these experiences are meant as a time of recreation.
In Ecclesiastes 7 we read a verse that seems to put water of the fire of rejoicing. Ecclesiastes 7:3 states, “Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.” Just at a glance this verse goes against what man’s greatest desire to be happy. How can scripture be placing sorrowing and grieving above laughter. The answer is through this sorrow, the heart is made better. 2 Corinthians says, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” Ecclesiastes 7 must be talking about godly sorrow. Sorrow that leads you to change to become more like Christ.
In Luke 15 we read the story of the prodigal son. He indeed had many laughs, but that laughter lead him to destitution. Not until sorrow came did we see a change in his heart. Scripture tells us the results of godly sorrow is to become more purified. (Job 23:10). James 1:2-3 states, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
As anyone who knows me can say, I love to make people laugh. I definitely was the class clown and I enjoy laughing it up like the next guy. This though should not be the goal of our lives. Having fun and “cutting up” are good, but there’s more to life than that. The goal of a Christian’s life ought to be living a sanctified, consecrated life for the Lord. When the times come when the Lord needs to remind us to get on track by sending sorrow, remember to use that sorrow for what God intended for. Thank Him for it and rejoice in the fact we have a loving father that doesn’t just give us what we want, but what we need. He is the source of true joy.