The Source Matters! (on Humor and Joyfulness)

by: Micah A. Tecne

As Solomon, the wisest king ever lived had said in his reflection that everything has a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Every one of us pass through different seasons of our lives personally and corporately. We have the choice to either respond to it negatively or optimistically.

We Filipinos, are known to be advocates of the value humor and joyfulness as evidenced by how we optimistically and creatively respond to this current challenge of the pandemic but we cannot also deny the fact that this season has been and continually destroying lives and relationships. We have been hearing news about suicides, quarrels, killings and the like. We are seeing how we are being put into a test whether to keep our resilience or give in to distress and defeat. Sadly, we have seen people lose their joy and eventually see them suffer depression, conflicts and the worst is seeing them taking their own lives.

We cannot deny the fact that our responses to different seasons of our lives, especially the season of difficulties and trials, will not only affect us but everyone around us. How we respond to difficulties depends on our source of joy that brings us resilience.  Some think that the source of their joy comes from having abounding wealth, fame, pleasure, wisdom of this world, people, etc. but still find themselves empty and dissatisfied. King Solomon, enjoyed the latter but later on he realized and said “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Yes, the source of our joy indeed matters!

As one of the Psalmist uttered in his distress, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” The greatest source of our joy would be the very source of our life who is able to sustain and see us through the seasons, no other than God.  Dwelling in God is having joy that brings us hope that makes us resilient as it was also said that He will make known to us the path of life and will fill us with joy in His presence, with eternal pleasures at His right hand. 

When we are filled by that abounding joy from a great source, we are able to spread it to others that would make every season of our lives hopeful. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Be filled with joy and be contagious!