The Power of Joy and Laughter in Christian Marriage

When was the last time you had a good laugh together? I mean a time of raucous laughter, a belly laugh when your stomach ached so much it hurt? Those shared moments of fun and laughter are so special and have a refreshing release of any tension or weariness that can build up from the mundane of daily routines or frantic expectations we sometimes create.

It keeps us healthy

Many people don’t realise the health benefits of laughter. In Proverbs 17:22 it says, ‘A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength’ (NLT) Think about it, when we are at loggerheads in conflict or even just coasting, going through the motions being a married couple, we can so easily allow the negative things to crowd out the positive and a sense of dullness and heaviness can pervade our lives. Sharing a funny moment, cracking a joke or even just smiling at each other can bring such a benefit to us as a couple. Laughter and experiencing Joy are natural stress releasers. Laughter has been shown to help people relax; it boosts your immune system; reduces depression and increases personal satisfaction. Laughter releases chemicals into our bodies that naturally go in to battle with physical ailments and pain! This is why God’s word says, ‘We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy’.....’Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!’ (Psalm 126:2-3)

6 Ways of Keeping the Joy

1. Remember who brings the joy into our lives. The Lord can bring it back into our marriage if we sense it has gone. King David prayed in Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me again the joy of your salvation” (NLT). When we are going through difficult seasons, we cannot imagine being able to laugh and enjoy life. But that is not what God wants for our marriages. The devil will try to condemn and convince us to give up and believe negative thoughts about ourselves and our husband or wife, but we can laugh him away. God gives us ‘joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair’ (Isaiah 61:3 NLT)

 2. We have said it many times, but it can never be said too often- PRAY together and for each other. As you pray believe this, ‘He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy’ (Job 8:21 NLT) When we understand that God has given us this amazing ability to laugh, we must wonder why we don’t us this ‘tool’ more often?! It is such a vital tool against stress, worry, fear and anxiety. All the negatives things that satan wants to use to undermine our love, our values, our goals and dreams. Nehemiah was a brilliant example of commitment because of his faith and love in building his dream - the Temple. Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and we each give our bodies to one another in marriage. Shouldn’t we try and keep our bodies free of stress and illness for each other? Through laughter and enjoyment of each other’s love, we encompass the words of Nehemiah, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10 NLT)

3. Another way to keep the joy and laughter in our lives is to not take things too seriously, especially ourselves! Light-hearted teasing - without sarcasm - is a fun way to bring a joyous atmosphere into the home. If we know our spouses well, we will already be aware of their emotions and what they wouldn’t find amusing if the joke is on them. A kind and affectionate tease should be acceptable and bring a smile.

4. We love to watch funny television dramas or films together and there are the occasional stand-up comedy shows that we find incredibly hilarious. Some comedians have the amazing gift of pointing out everyday things we say and do and making us realise how silly we all are. This is a great bonding time for couples to laugh together at the funny everyday scenarios we often find ourselves in.

5. Changing our thought patterns is a scriptural thing to adopt. Bringing a positive attitude helps us to look at events, people and situations from a different perspective. We may be thinking that we haven’t got anything to be happy about right now.  Making a deliberate choice to be joy-filled each morning is a start. ‘Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice!’ (Philippians 4:4 NLT) If St. Paul can say this while he was in Jail, I’m sure we can too as we face the day of potential difficulties. It will be a better day if we do.

6. Creating memories that will bring happy thoughts in years to come. Do not forget the importance of dating or just having fun playing games at home; spending time with family who help to remind us of funny moments when…! Nostalgia is a comforting way to enjoy what we have become and how far we have come as a couple. It provides hope for the future which can only delight our hearts and cause us to smile.

May we always remember in our marriages that ‘This is the day the lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Psalm 118:24 NLT)