Day 4 — Strength That Smiles: Learning to Laugh at the Future
The first time I paused over Proverbs 31:25: “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come,” I wondered what that even meant! There’s so much in life that is uncertain. We don’t know what a day may bring. How am I supposed to laugh at the future? Laughter isn’t usually my first response when I think about what’s ahead. I think about bills, grown children facing their own challenges, an aging body that doesn’t always cooperate, and a world that feels increasingly uncertain. In those moments, laughter doesn’t exactly rise naturally.
But there it is, God’s Word describing a woman who looks ahead and smiles. What kind of peace must she have to do that? What kind of faith must anchor her heart so deeply that she can laugh at the unknown?
I want to know her secret.
Laughter Born of Trust
Her laughter, I realized, isn’t flippant or naïve. It’s not denial or false positivity. It’s faith. It’s the quiet, confident joy of a woman who knows who holds her future.
Psalm 112:7–8 describes her perfectly: “She is not afraid of bad news; her heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. Her heart is steady; she will not be afraid.” That’s it! She laughs because she trusts. Her smile is an act of surrender. It’s the sound of confidence in the character of God. Her laughter flows from a settled assurance that His plans are good even when the path feels uncertain. When fear comes knocking, she answers with joy. Not because life is easy, but because her God is faithful.
When the Future Feels Fragile
There was a season when my husband and I faced deep uncertainty. Finances were tight, and everything familiar seemed to have fallen away. I put on a brave face, but inside, I was fighting anxiety. One night, when everyone else was asleep, I sat alone on my couch. I felt so fragile, as if I were crumbling. As I prayed, I sensed God reminding me that He was the one writing this story. Not me! I needed to trust Him.
It’s in moments like these that truth stops me. Like the truth found in Isaiah 46:9–10: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose.’” Those words steady me and remind me that I don’t need to predict or control the future because God already stands in it. He is writing a story that is still unfolding.
That night, I didn’t burst out laughing. But somewhere deep inside, a lightness began to grow. My heart was learning to rest in God’s sovereignty.
The Woman Who Learned to Laugh
One good example of faith and laughter in the Bible is Sarah. When God told Abraham that she would have a son in her old age, Genesis 18:12 says, “So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?’” Her laughter then was cynical — the kind that comes from disappointment and disbelief. But when God fulfilled His promise, her laughter changed. In Genesis 21:6, she said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.”
Her laughter of doubt became laughter of joy. That’s the laughter of redemption — the kind Proverbs 31 describes. It’s the laughter of a woman who has walked through disappointment and learned to trust again. The kind that can only be born after tears. It’s a smile shaped by faith, not circumstance. Joy that comes not from what she controls, but from who she knows.
The Freedom of a Steady Heart
There’s something beautiful about a heart that’s learned not to fear what’s ahead. The Proverbs 31 woman has seen storms, loss, and uncertainty. Yet she’s chosen to root herself in God’s faithfulness instead of fear. Her laughter doesn’t come from knowing every detail of her future; it comes from knowing the One who goes before her.
Deuteronomy 31:8 is a perfect anchor verse: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” That promise is the foundation of her calm. She can smile because she’s not stepping into the future alone. She trusts that whatever is waiting there, God will meet her with the grace she needs when she arrives.
Joy as a Weapon
Sometimes, laughter is more than emotion. It’s spiritual resistance. When life tries to crush your spirit, choosing joy becomes a declaration of victory. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Joy heals. Joy strengthens. Joy confuses the enemy who expects us to give up.
Over the years, I’ve learned that joy isn’t found in the absence of hardship; it’s found in the presence of Jesus. When I stop striving and start resting in who He is, fear loses its grip. It’s in that surrender that laughter returns, sometimes quietly, sometimes unexpectedly, but always as a sign that peace is ruling in my head again.
I begin to notice the small graces that whisper of His care: the light pouring through morning blinds, a kind word from a friend, the way a prayer gets answered in a detail I didn’t even think to ask for. Each one reminds me, He’s here. He’s working.
Laughing Through Change
Maybe you’re in a season where the future feels uncertain. Your children growing up and away, health shifting, relationships changing, or dreams delayed. Whatever your uncertainty looks like, remember this: nothing surprises God. Every chapter of your life has already passed through His loving hands. You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t even have to feel strong. You have to stay connected to the One who is. That’s the intersection of strength and dignity, the sacred place where control ends, and trust begins. When we release our grip on the outcomes, we make space for joy to grow. And when joy takes root, laughter follows.
That’s how faith smiles at the future.
The Woman Who Laughs
One day, when my story is told, I hope I’ll be remembered as a woman who laughed. Not because everything was easy, but because she trusted the One who never failed her. A woman who didn’t panic when plans changed. Who found beauty in the waiting. Who believed God was good, even when she couldn’t see the ending. A woman clothed with strength and dignity, who smiled at the future because she knew her Redeemer lived.
Let’s Pray
Father, teach me to laugh at the future. Replace my worry with worship, my fear with faith, and my anxiety with anticipation of Your goodness. Remind me that You hold every tomorrow in Your hands and that nothing can surprise or shake You. Help me find joy not because life is certain, but because You are constant. Let my smile reflect the quiet strength of a heart anchored in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Ridofranz
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Originally published Friday, 12 December 2025.
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