Devotions from Gary Thomas book, Pure Pleasure

Today’s devotional is on laughter and seems to be timed well as we have laughed so much lately with our resent visitors!

“If we can’t open the pressure valve with laughter, we just might explode. So laugh or die. It’s up to you!” Kevin Harney

And Elton Tureblood writes “Humor is redemptive when it leads to comic self-discovery.”
Humor can be as God’s servant—bringing people in, lightening their heavy loads, creating little mental ‘rests’ etc. 

Why do we sometimes feel that ministry must be serious and somber to be holy?  But really it is an absence of humor that poorly reflects on the image of God who created laughter.  When we were in St. Augustine Al bought a picture of Jesus laughing and has it right by his desk as a reminder to lighten up.
Because we are human, not gods, heavy responsibilities without laughter and pleasure can destroy us. God has created a healing balm – laughter. Spiritually, it will lift us up and give us the strength to face life’s serious challenges.

The more serious our situation, the more strenuous our work, the more we need to laugh.  “We need to have large enough minds to hold seriousness, obligation, and responsibility in tension with enjoyment, laughter, and fun.”
It’s healthy to laugh at ourselves too and admit our limitations, and show that we all struggle .

There are physical benefits as well as it is good for our cardiovascular system, lowers our blood pressure, elevates our mood, boosts the immune system, reduces stress etc.

Let us laugh and celebrate the goodness of God today.