While living in a demonic battle like abuse, laughter is not entertainment. It’s spiritual warfare.
I remember one moment vividly after being delivered. It was the middle of the afternoon; the sun was peeking through the window and the fireplace was crackling. My eyes were puffy from a long night of sobbing, but that day, I felt different. Life was no longer frozen in time. It felt like a sliver of healing fell off me through the tears. My vision was still fuzzy, but I made chai teas with the works and my son and I put on a movie.
It was one we had watched before, but for some reason, this time I heard something and I laughed, like really laughed. We both laughed so hard we doubled over. We had to pause the show and wipe our eyes. I sat and basked in the moment, but immediately after that moment of healing, I began to feel a deep sorrow build within. I realized I hadn’t laughed in a very long time. I couldn’t remember the last time.
It’s normal to hold grief and doubt hope in such dire situations. The flesh is weak, but the realization that I’d lost myself to the point where I wasn’t even laughing anymore really got to me. I had truly become a shell of myself. I had no idea where I even was. I allowed the thief to not only steal my value, my identity, and my confidence, but also my laughter. The joyful moment made me weep uncontrollably. I was consumed with grief for all those lost years.
After this happened, I began fighting the battle by being intentional with laughter. Over time, I realized that not only does laughter act as medicine to mend the soul; it is a powerful act of warfare.
The enemy is a ruthless destroyer. He laughs mockingly at righteousness and delights in evil, but he hates light-heartedness. He really hates genuine laughter. We are constantly tempted to put it on the back-burner. It is usually the first thing to go when stress and difficulty come. It’s something we wait to be “in the mood” for in order to seek it out. We put it off as a personality trait as if only some were born with a sense of humor, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Some were given a gift of comedy, but laughter is a buried treasure we all have that the devil steals because life without it is gray and bleak. Without it, life turns into a serious venture where vessels of the Lord grow cold over time as they cease to heal wounds and enjoy the toil.
A heart without medicine is a heart that grows ill, struggling to beat for zest in life and failing to connect to God, neighbors, and self. Saved souls without laughter misrepresent God’s freedom with heaviness and His light with shadows. Life without laughter is a hindrance to the gospel, but it’s so much more than that for those living in survival.
God’s Word says that a crushed Spirit dries up the bones. For those enduring abuse, laughter is not just medicine. It is a lifeline. It is a weapon in the battle against losing themselves.
When the darkness consumes weary and vulnerable souls, laughter brings light to darkness, healing to wounds, and comfort to fainting hearts. In the midst of a secret battle for survival, in a season of blood, sweat, and tears, the enemy comes at full force. When the enemy rages and consumes, brokenness may come, despair may come, and tears may come, but laughter keeps the blades from slicing deep into the skin. A mind set on heaven is our shield from spiritual doom, but laughter is our battle cry.
When the thief provokes our greatest weakness, God’s daughters don’t waver. We gather our Spirit of fearlessness, guard our soft heart from his sword thrusts, and stand in the power of His resurrection, knowing that even the weakness of God is stronger than men and the joy of the Lord is our strength.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. – Proverbs 17:22
And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. – Nehemiah 8:10
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. – Proverbs 4:23
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. – Isaiah 58:8
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. – Ephesians 6:10-13
