Joy Is Not A Debt You Owe

The laugh escaped before you could catch it. And now the silence feels heavy, like you've stolen something that doesn't belong to you yet.

You are wearing the mask of okayness, but underneath, you are bracing for the impact you know is coming. You think joy is a betrayal of the pain waiting in the wings.

But the light does not ask you to pre-pay for suffering you haven't endured. There is a cup that is sufficient for today, and you do not need to drink tomorrow's sorrow right now.

The Father causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, sending rain on the righteous and the unrighteous without keeping a ledger of who deserves the warmth. Your laughter is not a debt you are incurring.

It is the light breaking through the performance, proving that the darkness has not overcome you even in this moment. The joy you feel is not a lie; it is the only true thing in the room.