I woke up yesterday morning to the news that we lost a man who has brought me joy since I was a little girl. He was truly a Phenomenal Cosmic power of joy and laughter. In any interview about him, people praised his love for laughter and for his fans. He was a comedic genius and seemed to genuinely be an easy person to love.
To say that I was sad at Robin Williams death is an understatement, I was heartbroken. At the surface I question why I am so desperately sad at this man’s death. We’ve never met, he died never knowing my name, but yet, tears still persisted down my cheeks as I read of his tragic death. Worst of all, he is believed to have died from his own hands. I can feel the tears welling up again, just writing these words.
I spoke to my team this morning about how death is just all around us. From the murders of Christians in the Middle East to Robin Williams, each one of these horrors hit home. It is also a very clear reminder that the devil hates God’s children, and that he’s been quite busy as of late.
As I thought about why Robin William’s death bothered me so badly, I realized that it went beyond him being a childhood hero, it’s because he fulfilled a statistic I read once. The stat read as such: The majority of comedians and people you find most humorous and funny are some of the most depressed people in the world. The majority of them battle depression on a regular basis.
As a woman called to bring joy, the one thing I find most difficult to hold on to, and the most attacked part of my being, is my joy. My sadness for my beloved actor was that I, in some very small way have felt that ache of needing to be funny to hide the fact that I was struggling, that I was in pain. I have also felt the pressure to be funny, so that it didn’t rock the preverbal boat of life. But no one talks about those days when joy seems as foreign as mars.
My mentor and teacher in Bible College used to say, “Happiness depends on what HAPPens to you, but JOY is from the Lord, and Joy gives you strength.”
The enemy of our souls HATES us, but let us not be ignorant of the fact that he recognizes God’s gifts in our lives as well, and will relentlessly attack the very gift you’ve been given.
If you are a person of stout integrity, how often are you met with options to participate in “secret sin”? If you are a person of peace, how often do you feel as though you are surrounded by chaos? Or if you are like me and carry joy, how often do you struggle to even smile sometimes? He (the enemy) is no fool when it comes to schemes that would make us fall. But he IS a fool to believe that he isn’t already defeated. The key is walking in that knowledge for ourselves.
He. is. defeated.
Psalm 5:11 says “But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits.”
We have this beautiful access to joy that comes from trusting God, and loving His name. When we understand that He is the one we run to, He is our REFUGE, COVERING, DEFENDER, PROTECTOR… We can rest easy knowing He’s got it all under control. I myself in the past have operated under the assumption that if it surprised me, it surprised God. False. Nothing can de-throne the King of Kings. We may not always understand what He’s doing, but we can trust it’s for our good, because God knows His kids.
Romans 8:28-29
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
There is joy to be found in the Lord. In my years of living I have found that my professor’s statement is absolutely true. Happiness is temporary and only comes from present circumstances, but joy, that I can have no matter the circumstances, I just have to remember that I can put my trust in God and He will make a way.
My prayers go out to Robin’s family, I can’t imagine the pain they are experiencing. If you’re reading this and you find yourself thinking of doing what Robin did, please friend, there is hope in Jesus, please talk to someone, and get some Godly counsel, help and prayer.
Thank you all for reading my heart today. I appreciate each and every one of you more than you will ever know.
