Sorrow is better than laughter

“Sorrow is better than laughter; when the face is sad, the heart grows wise.” – Ecclesiastes 7:3

This verse is pretty much the opposite of what we have been taught our entire life. We seek joy, fulfillment, education, and wealth as a way to find happiness, but often, we are foolish with how we get there and what we obtain. In Ecclesiastes, Qoheleth says that sorrow is how we actually grow wise. I’ve found that to be true in my life. Whenever I am going through a rough patch or nothing seems to go my way, when the weight of the world feels heavy on my weakened shoulders, that’s when I’ve historically found God. Those are the times He’s imparted wisdom on me and allowed me to cling to Him — to find rest.

In the joyful times of laughter, while I don’t mean to, those are the times I tend to forget God. I forget to thank Him, forget my soul thirsts for Him, forget to lean on Him and talk to Him. But in my hardest moments, He’s taught me the greatest lessons; namely, that I am nothing without Him. Therefore, I am appreciative of the trying times, despite their sadness and hardships, because that is where I feel God the most. That is where He imparts knowledge on me. In holding on to His feet at the Cross, I feel His love. Today, I am thankful for the sorrow, for it has made my heart full in ways I wouldn’t have chosen.