Sometimes it’s the small things that matter most. Lately, I’ve found myself taking quite a lot with the Lord about the small things in life. Just last week, I was sharing with Him about different hopes and concerns I had for an upcoming event. Strong and true, His Presence brought reassurance and I could feel my heart drawing close to His by way of mercy and affections. During our conversation, I felt the Lord calling me to listen to an old song from one of my favorite bands. This prompt puzzled me because the band is secular, but I played the song anyway, and went to resume my dialogue with the Lord. i still had several concerns to talk with Him about. The intro and first verse of the song played through, and kept talking with the Lord about the event. Then the chorus began – the clear and powerful lyrics hit deeply:

Put down your weapons
Let’s be defenseless
Release your laugh, your laugh, laugh
No more pretense, pretense, pretense

My heart quivered.

In an instant, I knew that I had been holding weapons against myself to keep my own heart hostage. My concerns for the event quickly faded as I realized that my heart was sore and weary from the war I had been waging on it. Harsh and bitter, I had not been kind to my own heart for many months. Rather, I was constantly striving to grow more, do more, be more. The result was tragic: I was thrashing my heart without even being aware of my own actions. There had been growth, yes. But there had also been loss. How long had I been holding these weapons? How long had I been fighting myself? How long had I been caging my heart?

The chorus played again. This time, my eyes filled with tears. Shock gave way to pain as months of wounds were uncovered and brought to the surface. I sensed Holy Spirit’s comforting embrace as He whispered affirmations of love and hope over my heart. Weeping brought release. Beginning to process through the wounds that I had been unaware of, I confessed the aggression against my own heart and asked the Lord for forgiveness. I asked for Him to come and heal those deep wounds and restore what had been lost. Setting the weapons of extreme discipline and a sharp attitude down, I asked the Lord what it would look like for me to bless my heart instead. What, I asked Him, would it look like for me to release my laugh?

Sweet and simple was His answer: laugh with me, my love.

Accompanied by a picture of wholehearted and joyful celebration, those words brought an immense and deep sense of freedom with them. Jesus wanted only to laugh and dance with my heart. Growing in discipline would come, and the days tasks would be completed; in the middle of it all, though, He longed to celebrate and be with me. He was hopeful that I would release my laughter and let it fill the air.

But, Dear Saints, this isn’t laughter for the sake of laughter alone. It is so much more than that. Indeed, much of our victory is founded in and secured by our laughter. The Lord longs for his please to rejoice in the battle that He has won for us. This is seen time and time again in scripture (see Exodus 15, 2 Chron 20, Psalm 18, and Psalm 20 for examples). We are to be a people united in our delight of the Lord. He calls us to participate in the fullness of HIs victory and live in the manifestation of His joy. Thus, our laughter is one of our greatest weapons.

This is especially true for the ladies. With the testimonies of women like Esther and Miriam, combined with verses like Proverbs 31:25, we know that the Lord places high value on the laughter and joy of His daughters. Our joy ushers in peace and prosperity (Ps 4) (Ps 20). It also brings breakthrough and secures victory (2 Sam 5). Surely there is nothing more powerful or radiant that a jubilant daughter of the Most High King. Nothing escapes the reign of her joy nor the reach of her laughter as she establishes the presence of the Lord in her home and community and banishes anything that would wage war against the Kingdom (Isa 54) (Ps 144:1).

It is for this reason that we must be kind to our own hearts. We must allow our hearts to grow in laughter and joy. Our King freely offers it to us. We need only set down the weapons like anger, comparison, aggression, and envy. As we do take up Joy, we can be sure that breakthrough and peace will begin to abound in our lives.