I read a book a few years ago by Sabina Wurmbrand (co-founder of the Voice of the Martyrs). There’s a portion of it that I remembered this weekend:

..How queer the human mind is. Just before dropping off, there came into my head a joke Richard had told once. A man determined that to complain was futile: he decided that he would in the future make the best of things. Just at that moment a wheel came off his cart. “Never mind” he said. “Cabs have only two wheels. I have three. I’m rich.” Then a second wheel came off. “Why worry,” he said. “A wheel barrow has only one wheel. I have two.” A third wheel came off. “Well, sleighs have no wheels at all, and they still get along,” he said. Then he lost the last wheel. “I’ve always wanted to be a sleigh driver,” he exclaimed joyfully. – Excerpt from The Pastor’s Wife – a courageous testimony of persecution and imprisonment in Communist Romania.

You know sometimes, we just need to be happy irrespective of what’s happening around us. There are things we go through in life that attempt to kill our joy and rob us of happiness. The past year or two has been challenging for many. Careers, homes, families and more have been lost. I recently had to make some decisions that meant starting all over again in many ways. It was a tough decision and sometimes it’s still difficult but I am learning that where I am does not dictate how I feel about myself. I am blessed and a blessing!

I encourage you to face life with a smile. And when things become very difficult, get your laugh on. Why? Because there is light at the end of every tunnel and if you do not lose hope and quit moving, you will see the light. And even if things do not turn out the way you want, why add more to your loss by losing your happiness?

If you have lost your job, money, friends, remember Job. He lost everything he had but God gave him double for all his troubles. Zacharias & Elizabeth waited a very long time for a child but in their old age, they gave birth to John the Baptist who was Christ’s Forerunner and according to Jesus – the greatest man that every lived before He brought us the Kingdom of God. For those hurting from relationship that has gone sour, Ruth lost her husband but God replaced him with Boaz a stronger man. This couple became the grandparents of King David. If you’ve made serious mistakes, there’s a second chance for you; David & Bathsheba lost their first son because of a mistake they made but God replaced him with Solomon who became the next king of Israel and builder of Israel’s first and grandest temple. For the persecuted, remember John who was banished to the Island of Patmos but out of that came The Book of Revelations. And if you’ve lost things because of another man’s mistakes, there’s still hope. Think about Lotfi Raissi – he was wrongly accused over the 9/11 attacks but he recently won his battle for compensation – 9 years later. He said to BBC: “My life was destroyed. My career was destroyed… It was hell for my life the last nine years”. You can read his story here.

We all have disappointments, betrayals and situations to deal with, and you may have been told not to lose your faith during tough times. I also want to encourage you – don’t lose your smile. Your story ends with a laugh so why not start now. The following joke I received this recently from a friend may help you:

After getting Pope Benedict’s entire luggage loaded into the limo the driver notices the Pope is still standing on the curb. “Excuse me, Your Holiness,” says the driver, “Would you please take your seat so we can leave?” ”Well, to tell you the truth,” says the Pope, “they never let me drive at the Vatican when I was a cardinal, and I’d really like to drive today”. ”I’m sorry, Your Holiness, but I cannot let you do that. I’d lose my job! What if something happens?” protests the driver, wishing he’d never gone to work that morning. “Who’s going to tell?” says the Pope with a smile. Reluctantly, the driver gets in the back as the Pope climbs in behind the wheel. The driver quickly regrets his decision when, after exiting the airport, the Pontiff floors it, accelerating the limo to 205kph (Remember, the Pope is German). “Please slow down, Your Holiness!” pleads the worried driver, but the Pope keeps the pedal to the metal until they hear sirens. “Oh, dear God, I’m going to lose my license and my job!” moans the driver. The Pope pulls over and rolls down the window as the cop approaches, but the cop takes one look at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and gets on the radio. “I need to talk to the Chief” he says to the dispatcher. The Chief gets on the radio and the cop tells him that he’s stopped a limo going 205kph. “So bust him,” says the Chief. “I don’t think we want to do that, he’s really important,” said the cop. The Chief exclaimed, “All the more reason!” “No, I mean really important,” said the cop with a bit of persistence. The Chief then asked, “Who do you have there, the mayor?” Cop: “Bigger”. Chief: “A senator?” Cop: “Bigger”. Chief: “The Prime Minister?” Cop: “Bigger”. “Well,” said the Chief, “who is it?” Cop: “I think it’s God!” The Chief is even more puzzled and curious, “What makes you think it’s God?” Cop: “His chauffeur is the Pope!”

So whatever life throws at you this week, count it all joy. Keep the light on. Retain your smile. Remain steadfast in your faith. Don’t lose your hope.

Get your laugh on xx

© 2010 Arielle Ajibade