Enjoy the gift of laughter

“A joyful heart is good medicine.”

— Psalm 17:22 (ESV)

As teenage girl, I would run to our mailbox looking for my favorite magazine, Reader’s Digest. It was full of motivational stories that cheered my heart. But the best section was “Laughter is the Best Medicine.”

Because I enjoyed reading funny jokes, whenever I went to book sales I’d buy “Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang” joke books. I’d look for other types of funny books to check out at the library. Somehow, I must have intrinsically known the importance laughter for a balanced life.

Amid all the political fights, daily news briefs and our own health, wealth and other woes, God gave us the great gift of laughter to balance out our blues.

Several years ago, I came cross a scripture passage that says, “The God who sits on his throne in heaven laughs.” (Psalm 2:4 ESV)

I wondered what does God laugh about? Does he laugh at our stupidity, thinking, “Oh, how’s that working for you?” Or does he laugh because he knows it’s healthy for him? Or does he laugh because joy is part of his nature?

I imagine when Jesus lived on Earth, being fully divine, yet fully human, he must have sat with the 12 boys from time-to-time and had a good laugh. Think about the great joys his miracles brought those around him. Like when they watched him walk on water. After their initial fear wore off, I imagine they could have laughed and chided, “That was a good one, Jesus. How’d you do that?”

Then there was the joyous time Jesus instructed Peter and a few of the others to take their boats out into the deeper water and fish. They caught so many fish they needed another boat, and the catch was so huge, it broke their nets. I can just imagine how they laughed with Jesus as they hauled in their catch that day.

Then there was the most spectacular miracle that occurred after Martha and Mary’s brother, Lazarus, died. In their grief, they called on Jesus for help. They hadn’t realized he could resurrect Lazarus from the dead. As they watched him walk out of the tomb wrapped like a mummy, this amazing feat must have turned their tears of sorrow to tears of joy and laughter.

I don’t understand all the benefits laughter provides, but I’ve heard true accounts of people being physically healed due to laughter. I think it’s because their stress-induced illness was melted away. And I know it counteracts our circumstantial depression.

So, in our daily routine, we need to take a break from the serious side of life to enjoy God’s gift of laughter.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.