Times are tough – so laugh!

By Rev SEIK PITOI

I USED to think many years ago that people who never had a care in the world were pastors. They were so close to God, knew His word, and had the respect and support of the people at all times.
As such, they were invincible. Nothing could trouble them. So to be a pastor meant you will never have to worry. However, now that I am a pastor, I’m wondering where I got that lie from!
There is so much going on in our world today that even pastors are worried. We always talk about the threat of nuclear warfare, terrorism, new incurable diseases and other scary things like that.
On the domestic front, analysts are debating whether our economy is really in good shape as we are told, or not. Things don’t look good. Money problems are worrying. On the ground, people seem to be struggling with the basic cares of life.
There are a lot to complaints on all fronts, and a good dose of injustice, unfairness and every bad thing gets added to the mix.
So, what can we do? How can we keep our sanity in a world going bonkers? One good answer I believe is laughter!
The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones”.
That in itself tells the contrast between a joyful heart and a crushed spirit. One is “good medicine”, while the other “dries up the bones”.
Like many things we see in the Bible, we are shown the extremes, and are given a choice.
We can enjoy the blessing of one or suffer the consequence of the other. We choose. That is the case in this verse.
I am sure we all will choose the joyful heart – that is medicine, according to God’s word. When we feel we cannot do anything to change the situation despite how much we may have tried, we must come back to allowing God to flood our hearts with His medicine of joy.
Of course, the opposite of this is worry – a silent killer of many unsuspecting people. The word worry comes from an old English word meaning “to choke or strangle”. That is exactly what worry does to us when we allow it. It incapacitates us, renders us useless and distorts our thinking so we make irrational decisions. Worry is a killer.
I therefore advocate joy, but a full dose of it which is punctuated with a huge “laugh your head off” type of laughter! Friends, there is healing power in laughter. When you have a joyful spirit constantly on the inside, health and healing are flowing.
There’s medicine available, a cure that is completely free. It has no side effects. You can take it as often as you like. Someone said “begin in the flesh and end up in the spirit”. I find that true when I try to laugh at a situation or to praise God when I have been injured by someone’s words. I cannot do it, but I do it anyway. After a struggle, God comes through with His joy on the inside!
I heard about someone who recently gave this interesting prescription for those with worry problems: “Every day, at least three times a day, find something funny that makes you laugh, and begin to laugh out loud.” Not a little giggle. No, release that joy out loud. Release those endorphins on the inside. Activate your natural tranquilisers that God has given you.
Every time you laugh, it boosts your immune system. It reduces your blood pressure. Tension leaves. If you’ll stay on the above prescription and laugh every day with a happy heart, then you’re going to sleep better.
You’ll have more energy. You’re going to make better decisions and all those tensions – headaches, chronic pain and fatigue – will gradually leave.
Jesus tells us in Matt 6:33 not to worry because He is in control of all things. Nehemiah 8: 10 advises us that the joy of the Lord is our strength, and the Apostle Paul dedicated a whole epistle, Philippians, to joy, with the key verse: “rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice”! (Phil 4:4).
So, if that is what God is telling us to do instead of worrying and fretting, and if we know that laughter is indeed the best medicine, let’s do it.
Don’t worry yourself to death, don’t kill yourself because of a hurt or problem, and don’t attack a person the devil is using to disturb your peace. No.
Allow God to take over and just laugh! Think of how silly the devil is to try to put you down, and how your God is victorious over him – and laugh. Really give a bel hat lap! And with God on your side, come what may, you can smile at the storm and laugh!

• Rev Seik Pitoi is a minister at Ela Beach United Church, Port Moresby