Why Are We Afraid to Laugh?

I’m pretty sure I wrote about the Chewbacca Mom (Candace Payne) more than a year ago but I recently came across her quote again and had to dig a little deeper. This was the quote I wrote down. “It doesn’t matter how talented, how anointed, how gifted, how passionate, or how willing you are, if you’re not fit to do the things that God has called you to do… And that is spiritually fit. The things that will take you further and farther in the Kingdom of God are three things: diligence, patience, and obedience… Do not try to make a name for yourself. His name will always out-shadow yours.”

Candace Payne

The original video was simply of a mom, who, while sitting in a parking lot found something that brought her absolute joy. She made a live stream “on the internet web” as she calls it, to make her friends laugh. What really happened is she made herself laugh, full out, tears streaming, belly laugh. Little did she know that in a matter of hours her video would go viral. I decided to dig a bit and found what I would call her testimony. Worth the watch but it is about 45 minutes long. About 14 minutes in is where it gets good. Candace Payne is speaking at women’s conference. She said never in her life would she have thought that this was where a silly mom video would take her, but God knew.

Why, as Christians, are we afraid to laugh out loud, especially in church? I have been in churches where it would be difficult to distinguish between a worship service and a funeral. And, I have been in churches where it would be hard to determine if there was actual worship to God taking place. However, there are numerous verses in the Bible that speak exactly to these points. God gave us the gift of laughter, the gift of music, the gift of humor. We have to be careful to keep things in perspective and respectful and honoring God. However, I am absolutely positive that God finds humor in us. All. Day. Long.

Zephaniah 3:17

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

How do you envision The Lord rejoicing and exulting over us? Can you see God singing loud?

Romans 15:13

“May the God of hope fill

you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit

you may abound in hope.”

Don’t you feel that that being filled with joy and peace and hope, would make you want to laugh and smile?

Romans 8:28

“And we know that for those who love God

all things work together for good,

for those who are called according to his purpose.”

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3yRv5Jg5TI original video that went viral. About 4 min long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8drv01-7kQ Candace speaking at a women’s conference. 45 minutes long and the best part is

about 14 min in. She has a book that I have not read called “Laughing It Up”.

I pray that we all can find joy and laughter in the things around us. May we also help put a smile on someone else’s face as we go about our daily living.