Daily Devo
A Time to Laugh
By: Jenny Hinners
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” Genesis 21:6
In times of heaviness and hardship, the battle we're in can bring feelings of uncertainty. But if we aren't sure how to proceed, the best thing we can do is to fall in Jesus’ arms. If your spiritual battles have exhausted you, remind yourself of God’s wonderful promises. Then, think about His sovereignty, sufficiency, and grace. Next, immerse yourself in His Word and ask Him to rejuvenate you. Finally, in prayer, give Him thanks and praise His Holy name.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
Abraham is known as the father of many nations – and he is the one God established an everlasting covenant with. But when Abraham and Sarah met God, they were a difficult season of being a childless couple in their 90's. When God promised them a son in Genesis 17, they had to wait 25 more years to see God's promise fulfilled.
When their son was finally born, God instructed Abraham to name him Isaac which means “he laughs.” God knew that Abraham had laughed when he heard God's promise, so Isaac's name would always be a reminder of his response. But if you think about it, it also confirms that God has a sense of humor too!
God's Word describes many different types of laughter:
- Foolish laughter comes from the ones who reject God (Ecclesiastes 7:6).
- Man-made laughter is sometimes used to mask our pain (Proverbs 14:13).
- God given laughter comes because we are overcome with joy because He is so good to us (Psalm 126:2).
If your trials have you feeling run down, weak, and exhausted, spend some time with Jesus. Then, ask Him to help you rest. We should never fight alone, we must always rely on the Holy Spirit. When we're struggling, we can't be afraid to ask God for help! If your joy seems gone and laughter seems difficult, ask your compassionate Heavenly Father to help you. After all, the scriptures say God withholds no good thing from those who are walking closely with Him (Psalm 84:11).
Finally, consider these words from Jesus in the book of John: I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11