I have always been curious why laughter is not noted more in the Bible. It is never recorded that Jesus, Paul, Peter or any of the disciples laughed at any time.
Ecclesiastes says, "It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting."
The only account of someone laughing that I could think of was when Sarah laughed when Abraham told her she would get pregnant soon. Then God made her mute until she delivered Isaac.
So it would seem God does not like laughter very much. Churches don't seem to. Laughter never seems to be mentioned in books about church history or among monks or devout religious leaders, now and in the past.
Why is this? Why does every religious person now and from long ago seem to always be so serious? With the exception of those in the charismatic movement.
What about the verse, "The joy of the Lord is your strength?" And "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice!"
One of the fruit of the Spirit is joy.
So what does joy and laughter and happiness look like for the Christian? What does God and the Bible have to say on the topic of laughter?
Proverbs 17:22
"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."The opposite of laughter and joy is depression. Depression seems to suck all the energy out of a person doesn't it? But joy gives energy and gives life. So this proverb notes that joy can be like medicine to us.
Here are some of the proven scientific benefits to laughter....
"What can laughter do?:
- Lower blood pressure
- Increase vascular blood flow and oxygenation of the blood
- Give a workout to the diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg, and back muscles
- Reduce certain stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline
- Increase the response of tumor- and disease-killing cells such as Gamma-interferon and T-cells
- Defend against respiratory infections–even reducing the frequency of colds–by immunoglobulon in saliva.
- Increase memory and learning; in a study at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, humor during instruction led to increased test scores
- Improve alertness, creativity, and memory"
One of my favorite movies of all time has always been Patch Adams. Robin Williams in that movie is a huge advocate of laughter and making people feel better in every way. It is such an inspirational movie really. If you haven't seen it, go watch it. :)
There is one scene where he is busted by his supervisor at the college when trying to make a patient in the hospital laugh. He then lists off these scientific benefits to laughter to try to appease his supervisor. That scene is very funny. :)
Here is a good clip from the movie :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byPJ22JDFjI
Throughout the movie, Patch talks about how doctors should care about one's whole health, not just physical but also emotional etc. Because in the end, if you really think about it, our emotional health very much affects our physical health doesn't it?
If someone is depressed they might over-eat, which causes all kinds of added health issues. If someone is depressed they may not feel like getting up and walking around, which makes their heart not as healthy and their muscles become weaker etc. How we feel dictates a lot of how our physical health will turn out.
Heart attacks are often caused by stress. Panic attacks, anxiety, phobias, all can lead to major health problems. If someone is stressed they may have more headaches, nausea, and other random pain in their body.
Stress really can kill people.
So what is the cure for all this? Laughter. Laughter is the best antidote for stress.
We just need to laugh more. Another movie that I always thought was the funniest movie ever created is Due Date. There is a bit of language in it but that movie is hilarious. :) It was written by 6 different people, which explains why it is so good. If you haven't seen it, check it out. You might need to fast forward some parts, but overall it is guaranteed to make you laugh. :)
Usually animals and pets are also a good catalyst for laughter.
Small children make people smile and laugh a lot.
Playing sports can cause a lot of laughter, if people don't get too competitive and serious about things. :)
Psalm 126:2 ESV
"Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”The Psalms are full of emotions. Sometimes David is in despair that his enemies might overtake him, but other times he is full on rejoicing in the Lord. Some Psalms seem to be David saying, "Let's get this party started guys!" A party for God and from God lol. :) He talks about playing different kinds of instruments and dancing.
So then, if all churches and all church leaders throughout history have read the psalms, why do they ignore David's obvious calling to rejoice and dance for the Lord etc?
At the Christian college I went to we had to sign a contract, upon being admitted, saying that while we were enrolled we would not drink, smoke or gamble, which I understood, but it also said we were not to dance, which I always thought odd.
Didn't David dance? Isn't dancing healthy and good exercise? I understand they were trying to discourage us from going to hip-hop clubs but there are others ways to dance, such as line dancing, which is tons of fun.
Many students went line dancing or swing dancing anyways, despite the contract. :) You gotta have fun in life. And with as much stress as we were under in our classes, some needed it. :)
Job 8:21
"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting."Shouting? When was the last time you shouted? lol the only time I can think of when I did was on roller coasters. I get pretty excited about roller coasters. X2 at 6 Flags blew my mind and rocked my world lol. But why don't we shout like that for God and get as excited for God as we, or I, do about roller coasters?
Guys might shout at sporting events, and some women. They cheer and scream and get up out of their seats for what? For mere people, for mere human beings that are just as finite as them.
But why don't we stand and cheer and get excited about God and Jesus the way we do about sports or other things?
Perhaps because we have not seen that modeled in the church, like ever. I know I rarely have. Worship is always relatively solemn and somber, even in "praise" songs which are more upbeat. Sure people may clap, but that is about it. No one seems to be excited. No one is really into it. No one seems to care.
This is what I do appreciate about the more "Spirit filled" churches is that they actually get excited about worshipping God, as we Should. We have SO MUCH to be thankful for to Him, but we hardly ever act like it, possibly never.
God gets our left overs, our time if we can squeeze him in, our half-hearted praise. But doesn't he deserve more? Yes.
Something to think about. :)
Ecclesiastes 3:4
"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance."Proverbs 15:13 ESV
"A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed."Crushed? Have you ever noticed that some people in life seem to be like a pancake? Life seems to have crushed them. :( Most of the life seems to be out of them.
How does this happen? Sorrow.
So how does one counter-act this and inflate themselves again? By being cheerful. :)
I have heard that if you force yourself to simply smile more you will find that you actually start to feel happier.
Try it. Go to the mirror and make yourself smile a bit.lol Or when you are doing things, try randomly smiling. It will probably, somehow, make you feel better. :)
Psalm 2:4 ESV
"He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision."Here is a recorded instance of God laughing. His laughter is not a giddy laughter here but a kind of mocking laughter. He laughs at anyone who tries to come against him. He laughs at Satan, really, and anyone Satan uses on this earth.
He laughs at our feeble attempts to de-throne him or man's attempts to over power him.
God is confident. He is not afraid of the future. He knows he is going to win. Amen :)
Confident people laugh more. Think of it, when you are afraid, are you able to laugh? Most likely not.
You have to feel relaxed, calm and confident in order to laugh. You have to feel at ease.
God is in control. He knows this. And so, he can laugh. :)
And I'm sure he laughs at us all the time. He loves us, but I bet he laughs at us, as a parents would at his child. I'm sure he thinks, "You are so silly and so cute." And that makes him laugh too. :)
Hence why he created us. For the joy and fun that we bring him, just as children bring fun and joy to our lives.
He laughs mockingly at those opposed to him, but I think with delight at those who love him and know him.
Psalm 37:13 ESV
"But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming."
Again, God is confident and in control, so he can laugh more. :)
Psalm 32:11 ESV
"Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!"Why, because if we are righteous, through Jesus, we are on God's side.
We have much to rejoice about!
We will get to rule with him someday!
We will get to be with him in paradise someday!
Ephesians 5:4 ESV
"Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving."This is the world's way of laughter. Look at comedians. They are full of crude joking and foolish talk. But that is not what we as Christians are to find to make us laugh. We are to laugh in the joy of the Lord, which is pure and holy and good.
For the Christian it is thanksgiving that leads to joy and laughter. It is out of a grateful heart that we can laugh and rejoice. :) Amen?
We are not to be crude as the world is and foolish. We are to be wise, but we can still have fun and laugh while we are wise. :)
God is the source of our joy and laughter, because we are grateful for all he has done for us and blessed us with. Therefore, we want to sing and praise him! Amen? Amen :)
And here are more verses on joy in the Bible.....
Psalm 16:8-11 ESV
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Psalm 4:7
You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.Philippians 4:4 ESV
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.Habakkuk 3:18 ESV
I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.James 5:13 ESV
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
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