Laughter and Marriage

"A merry heart does good, like medicine; but a broken spirit dries the
bones." (Proverbs 17:22NKJV)
Humor is one of the most important elements of a good marriage. It actually
begins when we meet and start dating. It is a crucial building block of the
relationship. Without it, we rarely find someone attractive or desire to be
with them. With it, we become friends who enjoy being with each other. Laughter
lights up our hearts with hope, trust and goodwill.
For most people, a sense of humor is one of the most important qualities they
desire in a spouse. When a marriage is good, we laugh and have fun. It
doesn't mean we aren't having challenges in other areas of the relationship. It
just means that in spite of our problems, we haven't lost our ability to see
the bigger picture and trust God.
When Crystal and I first met, we loved being together and we laughed a lot.
Both of us have a good sense of humor and it has always been an important
part of our relationship. Even after 6 years of marriage, we still laugh as much
as we always have. Crystal is the funniest and most entertaining person I
know. She keeps me from getting too serious, well, at least most of the time.
The only time in our marriage when we weren't laughing is when we were having
serious problems right after we got married. The more serious our problems
got, the more we fought and the less we laughed. The entire spirit of our home
changed. After the Lord began healing our marriage I remember the first time
we started laughing and joking again. I didn't realize how long it had been
or how important it was until it was reborn in our relationship.
My advice to every spouse and couple is to understand the importance of
laughter and having fun together. As Proverbs says, it is like medicine, but when
it stops your spirit dries up. Here are some of the enemies of humor that
you must watch out for:
* Negative thinking and talking
* Unforgiveness and bitterness
* Sarcasm and humor that wounds each other
* Working too much and ignoring your marriage
* Taking yourselves too seriously
* Not trusting in God; Doubt; Worry; Unbelief
I encourage you to work at having fun. I know that may seem like a
contradiction but it isn't. If humor and having a good time is no longer a regular
feature in your marriage you have to purpose to make it happen. It might be that
your relationship has become mundane and boring and you don't desire to be
with each other the way you once did.
There is nothing wrong with you that a little Godly fun can't cure.
Remember, it's like medicine. Just like when you were dating, find something to do
that you both enjoy and do it regularly. Make it a discipline for the sake of
your marriage. You'll find that in the midst of laughing together the world
looks much better and the wounds of life heal much faster.
Blessings,
John