Laugh out loud. Texting has changed our vocabulary, shortening words to letters. Everybody knows what lol means.

My friend and fellow-author Angie Martin is my blog guest today. You’ll enjoy her thoughts on laughing out loud when life isn’t hilarious.

“and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…” Isaiah 61:3a (NIV).

I was praying for a girlfriend traveling alone on a road trip and decided to send a quick text. She replied, letting me know she’d arrived safely. I meant to respond, “Great!” After hitting the “send” key, I saw my text read, “Greasy! Hope it’s a good visit!”

That’s not the first time my thumb hit a wrong key and auto-correct incorrectly intervened. The conversation ended with a reply, “lol.”

I had to laugh out loud as the incorrect word reminded me of a long-ago memory.

While helping a group of beginning cheerleaders, I asked a friend if he knew any cheers from back in his day. In his best East Tennessee voice he belted, “Pork chop, pork chop, greasy, greasy…we can beat your team easy, easy!”

Greasy…not a word that produces pleasant word pictures. Oily, fatty, slippery, slimy. My mother-in-law she has memories of the grease fire that did significant damage to her kitchen. Most of our “greasy” experiences are not “laugh out loud” occasions (at least not initially).

Life is full of twists and turns that often lead to slips and falls

Life is full of twists and turns that often lead to slips and falls. Click To Tweet

You might even say this life gets downright greasy at times—and there’s nothing easy about it! 

Would it be helpful to learn God has his own oil for that? It’s called the “oil of joy.” His oil comes in living vessels—those who accept his commission to bring good news to the poor, heal the broken hearted, free the prisoners, comfort those who mourn (Psalm 61).

My mother-in-law was not happy the day part of her kitchen was reduced to ashes. But when life takes us through the fire, Psalm 61 reminds us God gives a crown of beauty instead of ashes.

The psalmist testifies that God turns his wailing into dancing, takes off his sackcloth, and clothes him in joy (Psalm 30:11). God promised Jeremiah, “I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:13).

Nowhere in Scripture are Christians promised a life without hardships, disappointments, and suffering.

Nowhere in Scripture are Christians promised a life without hardships, disappointments, and suffering. Click To Tweet

But we can be confident in a God who has the ability and desire to auto-correct. No mistakes with him. He always supplies the correct response to our greasy messes. The Christian Standard Bible version of Psalm 61:3 uses the term “festive oil.”

I’ve decided to call it “laugh out loud” oil. Will you be sharing that oil today?

Hope you’ll leave a comment. And please share this post with friends who may need the oil of joy!

Angie Martin resides in Kingsport, TN, with her husband. She serves as Hope House Center director, a crisis pregnancy ministry, and also as women’s ministries coordinator at Colonial Heights Christian Church. Inspired as a grandmother of two boys, she published Operation Birthday Celebration, a faith-based children’s book and tool enabling families with young children to celebrate the birth of Jesus through fun, imagination, and truth. Teacher, writer, speaker, and mentor, Angie is passionate about helping others navigate life with Jesus and the power of God’s Word.