Laughing is Healing
I was raised at a time and in a place when it was not considered right to be joyful in church. Sounds strange doesn’t it? That was a time when everything around and about God was considered to be serious, and therefore laughing was seen as being disrespectful. Happily, that has changed!! Of course, it is always right to be “appropriate” in church but that doesn’t rule out being happy.
In fact, laughing, feeling joyful, and being happy is what life, and by extension the church, is all about. I cannot picture Jesus not having a good sense of humor. To be the person that he was certainly included humor and good and healthy humor is at the core of a healthy church.
There is a close connection between hilarity and healing. When you can laugh at a condition or situation in life, the chance of moving with it or from it improves. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine; but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.”
We were meant to laugh with each other—note I said “with” not “at”. When we are laughing with each other, tensions within our own bodies and perhaps even within our relationship with each other eases. And when tensions are reduced health and healing can come in.
If you and I would want the “Lord to do great things for us” might we not want to begin by not taking ourselves so seriously? Might we not want to lift our eyes up, and do as
1 Peter 5:7 says, “cast all your care upon him; for he cares for you?”
Our Lord is willing to carry our burdens so we can have “life abundantly.”
Prayer:
Lord open my heart to the joy You want me to have. Amen
Pastor Jerry
Tomorrow: Sleeping to the glory of God
