Proverbs 14:13-15 (ESV)
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
Though sobering, the proverbs teach that in the end our joys will meet sorrow and sadness because all must die. As long as we remain in this life, we will experience heartache. But for the righteous, a life peppered with pain will break forth into unending gladness as we dwell with God permanently in our new home. The wicked don’t have this hope. The one who chooses to follow the Lord and later regrets her decision (the “backslider”) will suffer as a result. In contrast, the righteous will be rewarded for her faithfulness. We must give careful thought to the choices we make. Everything we think and do creates consequences. It’s important to seek the advice of others and consider our own hearts, but in the end, we know the Lord has revealed his mind to us through the written word of God. May we continually examine our behavior in light of the Scripture.