Friday: ILaugh Down What IDon’t Get Done
WEEK 32
FRIDAY
I LAUGH DOWN WHAT I DON’T GET DONE
1 Peter 4:12-14
The amazing joy throbbing through the pages of the Acts was seen vividly in Philippi. The Philippian church was born out of pain turned to joy. Paul and Silas sat at midnight in an inner prison with backs bleeding, hands and feet in stocks, and “were praying and singing hymns” (Acts 16:25). One can understand the praying, for almost everyone prays when we get in a jam; but singing hymns—well that showed an incorrigible joy that bubbled up amid those impossible surroundings. This is about as pure a spring of joy that has ever risen from the depths of human living on our planet. It was a happiness that wasn’t dependent on happenings.
It wasn’t a joy that went up like a rocket and came down like a stick. It stayed up. For when Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, he was in jail again; and in the brief letter he mentions joy twelve times (in the RSV). This church was born out of pain that became joy, and this letter was written out of an imprisonment that became a greater joy. So when he spoke in this context, they knew that his joy had scars on it. But they were radiant scars.
This power to transform everything into joy is found today in lives surrendered to God. Note this: “I think I told you at the Ashram how I thank out weariness. After my last class I lie down, relax and touch lovingly and thankfully every experience where God has worked through me clearly and well. I touch little gracious things that have happened. I laugh down what I don’t get done. If I got all things done, I’d be out of work tomorrow. These blessed tips of thought refresh me so thoroughly that I get up like new.” Note “I thank out weariness. I laugh down what I don’t get done.” Here is the secret of joy: “thank” and “laugh.” The thankful heart pours out in its thanksgiving the dregs of unhappiness. It is a cleansing stream. And the power to laugh is cleansing. “Why don’t you get ulcers because of all this criticism?” a friend asked. I replied, “I’ve learned to laugh, to laugh at everything, especially at myself.” Joy, Joy, Joy!
O Blessed Fountain of Eternal Joy, help me to drink deeply of you this day, so that I shall never thirst, never thirst for the lesser joys. This is It. This is It. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I shall become so joyous that I will be Joy, so peaceful I will be Peace.