May 1, 2022.
God is laughing!
Spiritual Awakening
And because by Faith, knowledge, and experience; we know that God is supreme in all things being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; it is not far-fetched to see that God was already laughing at satan’s attempt in the Garden of Eden. By this certain attributes of God are revealed; including sarcasm, and taunting as stated by God when He was in the Garden after Adam fell from Grace; stating; “Where are you…(and) have you eaten from the Tree, I commanded you not to eat from?” - Gen. 3:9-11. It is not like we can hide anything from God as stated; “God ponders (examines, considers, calculates) man’s ways (thoughts, actions, decisions)” - Prov. 5:21. God already knew what occurred that drove them into hiding and His questions are more rhetorically, just as if we were to order fry children, and the vendor replies; “will that be fried chicken then”? This sense of humor irony and even sarcasm is also displayed by us, especially by those of us who are responsible for others that make innocent ignorant and silly comments and actions; such as young children or nervous people. It should be measured carefully and prudently applied based on who is on the other end of its reactions and words.
All laughter is generated when the mind takes one’s experiences, emotions, and memories are created interactions, and scenarios, that become in focus or take on the form of daydreaming; and differ as men are from women. The benefits of laughter in the short term are stimulation of your organs, especially the heart, lungs, and muscles which has positive results in reducing blood pressure and relieving tension in the nervous system. In the long term; laughter provides for an improved immune system, as well as the body produces natural painkillers, neutralizes, or eliminates diseases. Laughter also improves your spirit especially as it relates to your self-image, and connection to others, and decreases or manages the stresses for your places, environment, and even the church.
Laughter is the gift that never stops giving! It self promotes itself and can take on a life on its own and sometimes even when reading the Bible there can be found many humorous passages that bring a good giggle, smirk, or outburst of laughter with God during bible study, prayer, and even worship; such as Zacchaeus who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus - Lk. 19:4. Now; if we saw this in a movie it would bring us to laughter as he was running around looking to climb a tall tree and the comedy as he reached the proper height with his small stature. Now; was it really necessary to tell us Zacchaeus was short and climbed a sycamore tree when it was by the Spirit, Jesus went to his house to declare; “This day is Salvation come to this house” - Lk. 19:9. The Holy Spirit often injects humor, irony, or satire into the Books of the Bible.
A good and hearty laugh reveals not only our humanity but draws us closer to God in intimacy. Laughter is a bedrock pillar for any relationship that has to weather the storms of life and change and will sustain one during those trials and tribulations times. Righteous laughter can vacate any attack from the enemy because it neutralizes fear and relieves the pressure valve to enable Faith to take hold and is essential for Godliness as these are planted, watered, and grown as stated; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” - Gal. 5:22; because laughter provides the strength, perspective, and humor required to overcome issues, differences, and the forging to become the Body of Christ.
Flush it Out - Laugh out loud!
When laughter is used by the spirit; your mind, and body sees things that others may not see. For instance; “You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the Earth” - Job 5:22. If there was anyone in the Bible who needed to have a perspective on life it would be Job. Job; of course, was under God’s favor as stated by satan; “Have You (God) not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side?” - Job 1:10. This hedge was conditional on Job’s Faithfulness to God’s Laws of the Spiritual realm, and when it was not adhered to; satan had a field day with Job, his family, and his wealth. Yet; the lesson of Job is not in his sufferings but in his decision to laugh and have a Righteous perspective on his past, current, and future life; including having the tenacity in his situation which only by the spirit can be achieved when the Spirit of God leads you.
Laughter under any circumstances that we face requires your mind to be engaged and be deliberate in the reason to laugh as stated by Jesus; “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh” - Lk. 6:21. To ignore and overcome distress. And by the orchestrated decisions of the mind; laughter can emerge under any circumstance. In other words; you can self-will yourself to laugh in the face of adversity. There are two types of laughing including random laughter and then there is specific laughter. Both are controlled by the mind and based on the mind’s context, and its deliberations; laughter will be initiated from not only the mouth but often from the body as well. Random laughter is based a lot on one’s mind to see the immediate humor, satire, or mockery of a particular situation and is often short-lived for the moment; meaning it is unlikely to be remembered or conveyed to others as a joke. For specific or direct laughter; which is more of a physical engagement where the mind and body become focused and work in cohesion to laugh at a specific event, or series of events; such as comedy or seeing a drunk person swagger in their walk; or seeing someone talk to inanimate objects; or a baby trying to feed themselves. This is because there is a deep imprint on the mind by what is seen and experienced. And in these cases; it is often the body that takes over the mind's ability to control laughter resulting in physical reactions that can be uncontrollable to the point even residual laughter occurs after the punch line or event has passed. And because this type of laughter is usually physically charged they are usually memorized for long-term recall where it can be shared over time with different sets of people.
The body does a mind well, and aids the spirit into Righteousness! If our bodies do not display an optimum desire for health; it will affect how our spirits, and minds embrace the ability and the call to laugh. For example, as stated by Sarah; “God has made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me” - Gen. 21:6. The reason for Sarah’s exclamation and laughter was because by God’s Spirit she conceived even though she and Abraham were passed that age and ability. And because her body not only demonstrated the conception internally but also externally she and others saw and experienced the life within her. She became optimally pregnant resulting in her glow of elation in her mind, and as expressed by her spirit. Now; to be clear just like myself; we all have to manage our bodies that bring us self-love and Spiritual temperance. Why? Because that is one of the areas the devil primarily attacks to make us seem guilty, unworthy, and unloved; especially by the device of comparison to others and the world standards. A body’s optimization is not only about health but also about how we see ourselves in the mirror and what the Word says about it as stated; “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of God” - 1 Cor. 6:19.
It is one of the least characteristics of Christians and God that is given any highlight in the Body and very disappointingly in the church. And yet without it, there is no perspective on this life and God’s promises which often fade without laughing into the distant haze and mist of trials and tribulations from our daily lives. God laughs and so too should the Body of Christ! For without laughter as stated; “A merry heart (laughter) does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” - Prov. 17:22.
To laugh has different purposes as the mind leads. It can be merely for self-enjoyment or for sharing with others. It is used under situations that focus on outward issues such as seeing the irony in a conversation, an event, or at the expense of others. Laughter can ease the challenge of one’s self-identity and others, and it can also be used to hurt. Although not a feeling and not to be confused with the feeling of joy or happiness which is more a state of being or euphoria. To laugh; is an action initiated by the mind which can affect one’s physical or mental balance. It is outwardly expressed and has internal health and healing benefits for the spirit, mind, and body.
Without laughter; life as we know it would be dull, depressing, and hopeless. And to be clear; this laughing is not the same as when someone tickles you which is more of an automatic emotional response because of the nerve endings. What we laugh at or with depends a lot on one’s culture, knowledge, and interpretation. But for the Body of Christ; we also laugh at what God laughs at which often may look like mockery; be sarcastic, and insensitive. Now; to be sure; laughter is a tool and not a feeling. And it does not require one to be intellectual but this can help in seeing the lighter side of an issue. To laugh effectively is based on its main foundation and benefit in that one constantly has a sense of satisfaction with their lot in life as stated; “better is a little with Righteousness; than vast revenues without justice” - Prov. 16:8.
The point of this Proverb and others similar to it is that without a Righteous perspective on the issues of life; one may become unlaughable, unprofitable, and alienated. Laughter is a gift from God to be used in a proper and respectful administration not only for the individual but for others in the world and especially for those within the Body of Christ. Without a deep down, uncontrollable heartfelt laughter; we as the individuals of the Body cannot hope to attain the full potential of our talents, spirit, and age. If you can’t laugh at yourself; how do you expect to laugh Righteously at the world and its evildoers as stated; “The LORD laughs at him (the wicked), for He sees that his day is coming” - Ps. 37:13.
God finds humor in the wicked man’s futile efforts and so are we to also as stated; “The Righteous see it and are glad, and the innocent laugh at them; (for) surely our adversaries are cut down, and the fire consumes their remnant” - Job 22:19. All laughter is for self-edification or the benefit of the Spirit. For without the Spirit there is no true and Righteous laughter and its intended benefits escape the one who laughs and those who are in its hearing. Because just as the Body is made up of several parts performing their respective and called assignments; so too are different Christians, part of the Body of Christ for each other's role and purpose, for the edification of the parts of the Body; and the Holy Spirit, which is onto God. As stated; “To everything, there is a season (Spirit), (and) a time for every purpose under Heaven…(and) a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” - Ecc. 3.
This form of laughter usually boisterous and uncontrolled can be used to ridicule, mock, and put to shame; and should be led by the Spirit of God as a charge mainly against evil-doers especially those within high offices, authority, and the fallen angels. Consider; the tower of babel as a good example of when laughter has a punitive purpose, not for the present but for the future. When man attains their highest form of arrogance; they usually see themselves as equal to God and by this, they build monuments to themselves or their mindset as satiated; “let us build (establish, erect, carve) a city and a tower, whose top (glory, accomplishment, ego) may reach into Heaven; and let us make us a name (idol, symbol, altar)” - Gen. 11:4. Now to be clear; their demise was not because they were successful but because their desire to be like God fueled their ambitions and actions. Whenever any man, woman, or organization idolizes themselves; God is as stated; “sits in the Heavens (and) shall laugh; (and) the LORD shall have them in derision (mockery, ridicule, satire)” - Ps. 2:4.
For their crime of wanting to be like God; God employs a tactic that we also often use to “put in place” those who demonstrate a superiority that is unearned, or boasted about. God did as stated; “let us confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech” - Gen. 11:7. God rarely destroys things, but from His high seat demonstrates often very subtly, and delicate judgments, actions, or conditions that embarrass, tease, and quiet His enemies into confusion, and fear. Its judgments like these that God reflects His long-suffering for His image and that makes Him worthy for us to honor, appreciate, and revere. God takes pleasure to use what His enemy requires to succeed or boasts about and with precision strikes their ambitions down swiftly and declares; “I (God) also will laugh at your calamity (cry, crisis, catastrophe ); (and) I will mock (taunt, revel, poke) when your terror (panic, daze, bewilderment) comes” - Prov. 1:26.
God laughs and it is good pleasure to Him and ought to be to us. Like many of us who had challenges in growing up being awkward, weak, or just misunderstood; God is that Savior who defends us directly or indirectly against the bullies in our life. And sometimes without our input, we experience God’s hand in defending us and putting the bullies in their place as stated; “Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked; because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place” - Ps. 91:9-10.
Laughter existed before man was made and although generally the opposite expression of being serious or downtrodden; it sometimes is intertwined with expressions of amazement, embarrassment, or vulnerability; especially when one can see the lighter side of a serious situation; like during a full-contact sport where players get tangled with each other or a sports fan is innocently tackled because of the player’s physical momentum. With most serious or even tragic events; and with the proper perspective, there is often a moment of satire to be found resulting in laughter. Now to be clear, this moment is not usually by those involved in the tragedy; but more so by outsiders who being detached attempt to reduce the emotional distress by using innuendos, snarky remarks, and puns as a way to lessen the impact of the tragedy; like when a house burns to the ground and an outsider makes the remark; “at last, I won’t see that ugly house and hopefully my neighbor builds a better-looking one”. And here is why laughter is crucial to main a stable, clear, and objective mind.