Is Laughter the Best Medicine?🤔 

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Catey Stover in Victory Call

Let’s be real… loss is hard, especially in a post-pandemic (current pandemic?) world. A few months ago, my family lost a beautiful life that was stolen by Covid, and it’s definitely not an easy thing to go through. During High School, I ventured to prove the phrase, ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’ true via my Senior Thesis. I want to circle back around to that idea, because it rings as true today as it did then. According to an article entitled ‘A study of laughter and dissociation: Distinct correlates of laughter and smiling during bereavement,’ smiling and laughing post-loss results in reduced anger and increased enjoyment, the dissociation of distress, better social relations, and positive responses from strangers (Keltner, Dacher, & Bonanno, George A). Smiling also results in pain relief, lower blood pressure, a stronger immune system, and a younger appearance 😄 (yes, please!) (Bright Spring Health Services, 2019)

 

𝗜𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗦𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲.

 

Please know, I am not suggesting you avoid feelings of pain and sorrow… I’ve definitely processed through those emotions, and doing so is biblical. In Scripture, we see Jesus weeping with the bereaved when Lazarus died and over the lost (John 11:35, Mark 6:34.)I’m just encouraging everyone who is reading this: Please do not plant yourselves there. Jesus did not live there, and we shouldn’t either. Live your lives in the kindest and most gracious way you know how, serving the Lord with all of your heart… and do it with joy! 😉 Here’s something that I didn’t mention in my Senior Thesis that I should have: the idea of ‘Laughter being the best medicine’ isn’t just some silly cliché. It comes straight from Scripture: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Let’s live that out today! 

Written by Erin C.: Erin served for four years as a Marketing Assistant and Staff Writer. She loves encouraging women through her Victory Calls and finds such joy in praying for her sisters in Christ. Her favorite activities include reading her Bible, encouraging others with scripture, buying new makeup, buying dresses, and eating at the Cheesecake Factory… In that order!


Think About This: “God wills to be displayed and known and loved and cherished and worshiped.” – John Piper

The Daily Bible Reading: Reflection | You can download our 2021 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here. 

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another     -1 John 3:11

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