Day 1 — A Time to Laugh, a Time to Cry

“…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

— Ecclesiastes 3:4 (BSB)

Have you ever noticed that your feelings seem bigger than they used to be? One minute you’re laughing so hard your stomach hurts. The next, you’re crying and you’re not even sure why. Something small annoys you way more than it should. You feel happy, then frustrated, then sad, all in the same afternoon.

If that sounds like you, you’re not weird. As girls grow up, feelings often get bigger and change faster. It’s part of growing.

Here’s something important to know: God made feelings. Joy, sadness, excitement, anger, love, fear and peace: God designed you to feel all of them. They’re not bad. They’re part of being a human made in His image. God Himself has feelings! The Bible says He rejoices, He grieves, He loves and He gets angry at evil. Jesus laughed with His friends, and He wept at a friend’s tomb.

King Solomon wrote that there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Life has all kinds of seasons, and all kinds of feelings to go with them.

So feelings aren’t the problem. But feelings can be tricky, because they don’t always tell the truth. You might feel like nobody likes you, when really lots of people do. You might feel like something is the end of the world, when really it’s just a hard day. Feelings are real, but they aren’t always right.

This week, we’ll look at how to handle some of the big feelings: anger, sadness, embarrassment and moody days. And we’ll learn that you can bring every feeling to God.

Here’s a good start. When you feel something strongly, try to name it. I feel frustrated. I feel lonely. I feel nervous. I feel really happy! Just naming a feeling helps you understand it, and helps you decide what to do with it.

Think about it: What feeling have you felt most strongly this week? Is it easy or hard for you to name your feelings?

Try this: Three times today, stop and name what you’re feeling. Then tell God about it.

Dear God, thank You for making me with feelings. Thank You that there’s a time to laugh and a time to cry. Help me understand my feelings, name them, and bring every one of them to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.