New Year's Tips and Encouragement: Part Fourth

"What we need on this subject is a good outbreak of belly laughter."  Thus said C.S. Lewis in The Four Loves (which I highly recommend).  (Writer's note: this quote is taken from a recording of C.S. Lewis of this book; the actual printed book does not contain this quote.)  Though he had a specific subject in mind, I would hazard that we could put nearly any subject in this context and be better off.  Charles Swindoll in his book Laugh Again says that Ogden Nash averred that if the German people had had a sense of humor, Hitler would never have taken control because at the first sight of the goose-stepping and arms raised to "heil" Hitler, "they'd have keeled over in sidesplitting laughter."

So my first encouragement is for you to laugh more.  I don't mean go watch a silly sitcom (though there are some that have me laughing until I'm crying); I mean just laugh.  If your toddler spills his milk, don't cry over it, laugh over it (to yourself--HE doesn't need to think it's funny or he'll do it again) as just part of the many crazy things that happen in a day to keep life from being boring.  If the humidity has your hair poofing out, laugh and remember that beauty fades and that no humidity can quench a joyful and loving spirit.  If you burn the toast, scrape the burnt parts off and laugh to think that now you have an excuse to slather it with jelly to conceal the charcoal.  If you accidentally set off the house alarm because you can't see the keypad without your reading glasses, laugh and be thankful that you have given the police who show up a good story to take back to the station.  Almost every day-to-day situation can have an element of fun and laughter.

My second encouragement is to remember that joy comes from above.  If you are centered in Christ, joy can replace anxiety, sadness, fear, and discontent.  Madeleine L'Engle once said in one of her fiction books (A Ring of Endless Light) that true laughter is a sign of joy and "joy is an infallible sign of the presence of God."  Staying in the presence of God will keep the things that steal our joy out of our lives: fear (Isaiah 41:10), worry (Matthew 6:25-34), concern about what others think of us or what we think of ourselves (John 17-Jesus' Prayer before His crucifixion), discontent with what we have and who we are (Philippians 4:10-14).  

If any of the joy-stealers fit you, you aren't alone.  I struggle with these as well.  My imagination is both a blessing and a bane to me.  It can be wonderful, but when I start to imagine all the horrible things that could happen to me and my family, I get overwhelmed.  Here are a few things I do to help the situation.  First, I pray.  I know that seems rather trite, but God gives strength to endure and connection to Him through prayer is of primary importance.  Second, I read and/or remember Scripture stories of those whose lives have served the Lord and the struggles they endured.  For example, Noah, who had to endure wickedness and probably taunts of those around him when he began to build the ark, and then he had to watch as everything he knew was destroyed.  Abraham, who left a nice, comfortable life (he was quite wealthy) for deserts, wandering, no permanent home, a wife quarreling with the maid with whom he had a son, battling with and for Lot, and ultimately, not ever having an earthly home in the land God had promised.  Esther, who was taken to a heathen king's palace to be his one-night stand, unless she pleased him.  Daniel, who was taken to a foreign country and, even with his position of power, was punished for worshiping the true God.  Paul, who endured more than most humans will ever endure but who did it with joy and praise (read the book of Philippians).  The ultimate example is Jesus Christ, who gave up power and glory and the joyousness of heaven to die a painful, agonizing death and a literal hell when God turned His back to take the punishment for our sins.

I want to point out two particular things to help encourage you to seek joy.  First, these examples are all men and women who had a greater perspective on life; life was not just this life for them but a looking ahead to the true Country, the real Country, the one that makes this earth look like a dimly lit, grubby oil painting compared to the Reality.  For those of you who are in Christ, this world is just temporary; don't forget that.  Our real home is with Him in heaven.  Second, unselfishness is one of the primary keys.  Forget about what is "mine" and concentrate on God first and then on others.  If you think I'm nuts, read the book of Philippians.  One of the problems in our world that we all struggle with is being discontent and upset when things don't go our way.  We want what's we see to be ours, and we want it NOW!  The demon Screwtape in C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" tells Wormwood to encourage the idea that any human can say "mine" about anything, especially his or her Time, when the concept of any person truly owning anything is laughable.  There is nothing we have that hasn't been given to us by the Lord and that for HIS purposes, not ours.  Remember that He knows better than we what we need for the long term as well as the short term.

As I mentioned, I struggle with this, too.  So if you think you are alone, take comfort.  You aren't.  And the Lord is with you, despite how you feel.  If you feel the need of human encouragement, send me a comment, and I will respond if I can and will certainly pray for you. Finally, laugh.  Laugh for the joy of a sunrise.  Laugh for the joy of another day you are upright.  Laugh because God is joy.