Made in His Image: Holy Laughter

A Dull Spiritual Season

A giant land tortoise walking.Years ago, I remember being very frustrated with my Christian walk. Just like this giant tortoise, I plodded slowly along, heavy and earthbound, covered with dust.

Unlike many of my friends, I could never feel God’s presence or sense Him when He was near. I felt blind and deaf to the spiritual world around me, wrapped in thick layers of cotton cloth.

Spiritually stuck in one place.

Finally I asked the Lord to break me free of my rut—and I didn’t care what it took.

Nervous Anticipation

Metaphorically I squeezed my eyes shut and clinched my whole body, waiting for the blow. I worried that when God broke me loose, it would hurt. Surely the Holy Spirit would have to do something drastic to propel me to the next spiritual level.

Wrong.

I didn’t know my Lord’s loving nature as deeply as I do now. The Devil stirred up all sorts of fears and anxieties. I believe he was desperately trying to stop me from seeking God in a deeper way.

When a Christian prays, “take me deeper Lord, no matter what it takes” Satan is in serious trouble!

God’s Laughing Answer

A young woman holding the neck of a guitar, covered with musical notes,Looking back, I think God gazed at His child, her eyes squeezed shut, waiting for something bad to happen and laughed out loud. Then He blessed me with a most unusual gift; the gift of holy laughter. “You want to feel my presence daughter? Here you go.”

Today my spiritual laughter rises up whenever I start truly praising Him during worship. As I enter into the Spirit, laughter just starts joyfully bubbling up on the inside. Soon I’m enjoying His presence.

Today I still pray “Change me Lord, and I don’t care what it costs” whenever I’m seeking to be set free from something.

But my trust in Him is greater and my fear is much less. Because I now know my God and His gentleness in a deeper way.

And we both laugh.

Images from Pixabay.com.

Resources:

Some interesting facts about the giant tortoise can be found by clicking here.

When I spoke in Pit Dweller Part 7 about the joy starting to bubble up, I was speaking about experiencing this gift of holy laughter.

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