Mark 8:35-37 – For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Smile
Josh Groban
Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile
When there are clouds in the sky
You’ll get by if you smile
And maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile
This song meant a lot to me during my elementary and teen years. They were very hard for me. I was so conflicted and so confused in so many ways. It’s not that I wondered what life was about. I was so clueless I didn’t even know to ask a questions like “What is the purpose of my life.” I knew I hurt and I didn’t know why. I felt a lot of guilt after I got into my teens. I had already done so much wrong and because of that I hurt. I didn’t want to hurt, but still I did. It is not what I wanted for me. My youngest desires were to be a hero. Since as a child I was raised as Roman Catholic I thought the highest thing I could do with my life was to be a priest. I thought I could serve God and be a blessing to people, but too much was not understood. That didn’t work out.
I was sad. Morose to the point of suicidal. Yet, I sincerely doubt that anyone knew it. I didn’t want pity. What I wanted was a love and a hope that seemed humanly impossible. Since my sadness was pervasive and seemed endless I would try to practice what songs like Smile preached. Oh, I was good at fooling other people, and sometimes I seemed, and was, happy. But the sadness within never left. This life seemed so hopeless and incapable of being what I really needed. Also, it seemed, that I began to wonder about what the next life might be like. Perhaps there would be happiness there. But then I had thought that I would not go to Heaven so all seemed so hopeless. So very hopeless. I just wanted existing to stop.
When I was twenty-one I heeded the call from God and accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. The perpetual sorrow of my soul was vanquished by the eternal joy of God residing there. Darkness is always chased away when Light appears. Now superficial happiness and sadness happen according to circumstances of our life. The joy of the Lord is soul deep, it is spirit deep. So instead of sadness, joy never leaves. Happiness comes and goes with the circumstances that brings them, but I have learned, and grow in, a joy that can never be taken from me, not ever, because my joy is anchored solely in Christ. I will never lose Him, He is my treasure so since I can never lose Him, I will never lose my joy.
Another strange thing happened when I came to the Lord. Song’s like Smile lost their meaning. They lost their meaning because at the end of the meaning of them, they are empty of true and lasting solace, comfort and joy. Like this world, they can only bring temporary relief and the relief it brings has diminishing results.
Family, praise, honor and glory to our Savior Jesus. There is no substitute, there is no other. So Smile make me sad, not happy. I know that too many people settle for mud holes rather than lakes or oceans. I find it hard to “like” on Facebook a post that points to anything but Christ for joy. Only in Christ does joy reign. Singing songs of the world that instruct us to find comfort in self alone, or nature, or another philosophy are all a lie. It leads us from Jesus to something else. True songs of joy are songs that lead us remember the love and hope that only Jesus can provide. True songs of joy lead us to praise God and remember how wonderful and mighty He is. So I don’t “like” humanistic encouragement. It saddens me that people are being misled. Let us know, beyond all doubt, that God, and only God, is the source of true and everlasting joy. Then, for eternity, we can smile. Thank you Jesus!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
P.S. – I do not intend to demean Josh Groban, whose talents I admire. Also, I greatly admire that as far as I know, he has never compromised his Christian faith. It’s more than I can claim.