He Still Smiles
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalm 28:7, NIV).
As I snapped a picture of my husband, Steve, with our Bernedoodle, Molly, sitting on his lap, one thought filled my heart: He still smiles.
In the span of three months, my healthy, athletic husband was told he needed an insulin pump and constant glucose monitoring for Type 2 diabetes. He also needed a hip replacement. And then he got the hardest diagnosis of all: incurable but manageable Parkinson's disease.
And yet he still smiles.
How does he do that? How do you and I? Especially when life delivers news we never want to hear: an unexpected diagnosis, a prodigal child who walks away, a job loss that sends us reeling, a marriage crisis that leaves us doubting.
How can we still smile? I think it comes down to this: gratitude for all God has done and trust for all God will do. Ponder David’s words in these psalms:
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalm 28:7).
“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me” (Psalm 13:5-6, NIV).
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid” (Psalm 56:3-4a, NIV, emphases added).
In these verses, gratitude and trust are woven together to form a strong cord of peace. Gratitude or praise looks back and remembers what God has done: His faithfulness and blessings. Trust looks ahead with confidence in what God will do: His promises and care. And sandwiched between the two is the present and a peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
I’ve always thought we praise God for who He is and thank God for what He’s done. But in the Old Testament, the Hebrew word todah is often translated as “to give thanks” or “praise.” It’s both. One leads to the other.
And that’s why we can still smile.
That doesn’t mean we don’t grieve the losses or pretend the realities don't hurt as they happen. But it does mean we can hang on to a cord of peace woven with gratitude and trust, especially when our story takes an unexpected turn.
After Steve’s diagnosis, I told him, “We’re just going to have to dance a little slower.” That doesn't mean the music has stopped. It simply means we'll savor each step a little more. We'll celebrate the good days, adjust to the difficult ones, laugh whenever we can, and keep following the Lord's lead.
And I believe you can do that too.
Heavenly Father, our fallen world ushers in difficulties we never saw coming and pain we never expected to experience. But nothing surprises You. You’ve offered to carry our burdens, so we give them to You. We’re so grateful for all You’ve done for us and trust You will keep sustaining us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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If today’s devotion resonated with you, click here for a free download of “20 Verses to Pray When Praising God for Who He Is and Thanking God for What He Does.”
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 40:3, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him” (NIV).
Isaiah 12:2-4, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid ... Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name ...” (NIV).
Psalm 146:2-3, “I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save” (NIV).
What is something difficult you’re walking through right now? How can you look back with gratitude on what God has already done while also looking ahead with trust for what He will do in the future? Share with us in the comments!
© 2026 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Thursday, 12 November 2026.
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