When Sandy cook our youth pastor let me watch the Tim Hawkins DVD a few months ago it was truly a medicine that I needed. I was amazed at the stress relief I felt after laughing so hard. And with no guilt on top of that! No crude jokes, sexual inuendo, prejudice, etc..... Just good, clean, wholesome fun!
I think Christ followers need a good dose of a merry heart! I believe God wants to strike us with "lighten-ing" not lightning.
Consider these points from the Word of God:
A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22 (amplified)
And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT)
29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:29-30
Don't get me wrong.... Following Jesus is not a promise of E-Z street. In fact we are told that we will suffer with Christ. But check out the promise from 2 Corinthians 1:
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
The pressure is off and the promise is on!
God promises for every thing we may suffer for Him there is more comfort available!
In conclusion, think about this question:
Would my life be better or worse if I lighten up a bit?
Relationships? Finances? Spiritual Walk? Life in General?
Think about this quote from E.E. Cummings:
"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
So now I'm gonna go look in the mirror and laugh a little bit!
Love ya!
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