Have you ever wondered why there’s so little laughter in church spaces? On the clown course we laughed a lot. At one point I was standing with a man’s head sticking out from between my knees. I didn’t quite know why I was there and he certainly didn’t. At another point I presented a surreal picture of myself… I was standing with my head and face covered by a black long-handled umbrella. There was so much laughter because we didn’t know what we were doing, and it was OK. We were trying stuff out… and our total failure was funny. We were like little children, being silly, being physical, seeing what was possible (and funny!) and what was not. Without inhibition (largely), without fear of failure (well, not much), in an encouraging environment (the teacher constantly assured us we were people of genius) we were free to giggle, play and enjoy being ridiculous.
Did you know that children laugh on average 300 times a day? Their laughter comes from being carefree, from knowing they are safe, not trying to be anyone they’re not, from being in the moment. I think the heart of God, which through Jesus will always have a carefree inner child, is full of joyous laughter. I think too, God desires to draw us into a place of laughter that expands, releases and heals.
Pete Greig posted this lovely prayer the other day on Instagram:
‘May the Son of God who is already formed in you, grow in you so that for you he will become immeasurable and that in you he will become laughter, exultation, the fullness of joy which no one can take from you.’ Isaac of Stella.
