Laughing Among the Shadows

I was talking with a friend the other day, and the topic of being nervous got brought up. 

We both go through very similar thoughts and emotions before we perform for others; and while we each love doing it, it takes a lot for us to put ourselves out there. 

We talked about how things that make us laugh often combat the fear the most effectively, and it all really got me thinking. 

"Laughter is the best way to combat fear."

I couldn't shake that statement from my mind.

Before I go on stage, I spend some time alone to just pray and quote scripture.

1 John 4:18, Philippians 4:13, and John 14:27 have become some of my go-to verses.

That never fails to calm me enough to go out there and give it my all, but I've found that when I add laughter to those things, it proves to be a weapon of which fear cannot stand against.

It says in the Bible that God will turn our mourning into laughter. 

I believe that joy is a powerful weapon.

I'm not saying joy always equals laughter; that's a whole other blog post.

What I'm saying is that laughing in the face of fear, worry, grief, or whatever else is something the darkness doesn't know what to do with. 

It's pretty hard to be afraid when you're laughing.

It's pretty hard to be worried, sad, or discouraged when you're laughing. 

I played my first lead back in August, and the first time I had to get out there and sing by myself in rehearsals I was pretty scared. 

But then so many laughs were had among that cast that before long, I wasn't afraid anymore. 

I still got nervous before going on stage, but when I would get out there and see my scene partners, I would remember all the laughs we had together. 

Before I knew it, the fear was gone. 

There have been some days where I'm so focused on all of my worries and troubles that I don't think anything could possibly make me laugh... 

Then something or someone does, and the prison cell of my mind starts to break.

I've chosen to laugh through my tears before, and the drops began to dry.

And don't even get me started on when I've chosen to laugh at my mistakes.

I believe laughter is sort of a glimpse of Heaven on earth. 

For a few moments you're so happy that you forget everything else.

I want to choose that today. 

I want to choose to look at my life through a lens of joy.

I want to combat my darkness with a little ray of light. 

I want to laugh in the presence of the shadows. 

"She is clothed with strength and dignity;

    she can laugh at the days to come." -Proverbs 31:25