Former Blackout Artist

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.
– Ecclesiastes 3: 1; 4

There are certain people who I love being around. And not because they’ve got everything going for them in life, or don’t have peculiar quirks that make me scratch my head and wonder about them from time to time. But they all seem to have this in common: they don’t take themselves seriously all the time, and they’re not afraid of having fun. Maybe someone you know comes to mind also, someone who seems acutely aware of the fact that life is indeed too short to be miserable.

And yet, life is filled with different seasons. Some are heavy with burdens, while others with unexpected joys. But in the middle of it all, God gives us this wonderful gift of laughter, a reminder that even in a sometimes stressful and broken world – goodness is still present. So don’t go thinking that laughter is somehow shallow or unspiritual. I’m reminded of something Spurgeon said long ago: “A religion that cannot stand a little laughter must be a very rotten one.”

Laughter can actually be one of God’s sweetest mercies. Who hasn’t reflected on their own days of youth as they hear a child’s giggle on the playground? Or experienced the healing power of a humorous moment shared among friends? God didn’t create us merely to endure life, but also to enjoy it. Even Jesus attended celebrations and spent time around people who rejoiced and laughed together!

Sure, there is a holy balance in the Christian life – moments to grieve honestly and moments to laugh freely. Both have their place in God’s timing. If your heart has felt heavy lately, ask God to restore joy to you again. Thank Him for the simple gift of laughter and for the people who brighten your life with it.

I am all in favor of laughing. Laughter has something in it in common with the ancient winds of faith and inspiration; it unfreezes pride and unwinds secrecy; it makes men forget themselves in the presence of something greater than themselves. – G.K. Chesterton