Some might say that spirituality is measured by hours spent in prayer or in the Bible. But, the ability to have fun can be a tell tale indicator of good faith health.
When I was a twenty-something, struggling to figure out what God wanted to do with my life, I got some really good advice. The kind that still sticks with me today, and I imagine is evergreen.
I had just returned from a very traumatic stint as an overseas missionary in Asia. I was shell shocked, with no idea what to do next. I had sold everything I owned before going off to missions and my bank account was very lean and mean. No car and just a mailing address.
The beauty of the situation was that a previous Vice President I worked for happened to call me long distance from the California, to just say hello and check-in with me. In less than a 30 minute phone call, I went from being unemployed to employed with a salary that put my money worries to bed. A month from landing back in the good ol’ USA.
Not only that, the very Sunday afternoon before my first day on the job, a stranger I sat next to in church offered me the keys to her used Volvo, once she found out I was a returning missionary.
Now, you’d think with two miracles like that, my faith would be as indestructible as diamonds.
But, aaahhhh. I was a diamond in the rough.
You see, I worried much more about what God’s will was in my life, rather than trusting my life was already in His will.
I was jolted into this reality as I sat in my pastor’s office, re-counting all the questions I had about where God was leading me. I was obsessed with worrying whether I was wasting my time as a “civilian”, working in high tech here in Silicon Valley.
I want to be out there, serving God full-time, was my whine.
I still remember the pastor’s response crystal clear, sitting across from him in that old steel-framed church folding chair. Pastor Rich Carlson looked me squarely in the eye. And paused.
What is he gonna tell me? I need a prayer, dear Lord. Will you have him lay hands on me and pray for discernment? And oh, yes, I definitely need wisdom.
“So, Bonnie. Let me ask you a question.” Pastor Rich begins with a smile.
“Yes. Anything.”
“What have you done lately that’s been fun?”
“Uh… What?.. !” Is this a trick question?
“I said, Miss Bonnie. When’s the last time you did something FUN.” Now, I’m really confused.
I stumbled and stammered, “I don’t need to have fun. I need to figure out what God wants me to do. This is more important to me than having fun.”
“Well, first of all, you’re already where God wants you. Right where you are. Your life is full-time ministry. Second of all, young lady, you need to go have some fun. Don’t worry about what God wants you to do. Don’t you think He’d let you know? Why don’t you leave that up to Him? Trust Him, go and have some fun.”
I wish I could say I left his office, blaring to party it up. In fact, many moons had to pass, sleepless nights and worry filled days, before I could learn to let go and have fun.
God used this wise pastor’s words to give me permission to trust God even when I doubted myself. Laughter was the indicator in my ability to do so.
Although I am still very much a diamond in the rough, fun is now one of my top indicators of my faith health. I treasure friends who can help polish off some of the dirt and keep me fun-filled and faith-filled.
If you haven’t tried it lately, I’d suggest you go and have yourself a good laugh. Have fun. And while you’re at it, you’ll be practicing putting the list of worries on God’s shoulders. You’ll be walking by faith.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
What do you think about fun and it’s role in your spiritual walk?
Would love to know: what do you like to do to have fun?
[ To check out more posts about “Laughter”, head on over to Bridget Chumbley’s One Word At A Time Blog Carnival. ]
If you enjoyed this post, read my follow-up post, Babysteps to Rediscovering a Life of Joy. SUBSCRIBE NOW to get updates from FaithBarista hot and fresh directly in your mailbox via email (click here) or RSS (click here) news reader.
30 Comments
You said some huge things here that I try to remember and teach to my Youth.
First, I want them to know that no matter what they do they are in full-time ministry. Actually I tend to feel like it is better to be in a secular place than to be in the sacred place doing ministry. That is where Jesus spent almost all of his time.
Second they need to understand that being a Christian should be the most amazingly fun experience ever. Jesus didn’t just bring us eternal life He brought us abundant life. I hate seeing Christians that are always dour. Who wants a slice of that? Jesus probably laughed a lot. Kids wanted to be around Him and He brought them in. That is not what some uptight pharisee would be doing so why do we live life as if cracking a smile will open the pit of hell right under our feet?
Hi Bonnie!
This is the first blog I’ve read of yours, and find it remarkably beautiful! Thank you for passing on some very good advice.
What do I do for fun? I love reading other Christians’ blogs! I love new perspectives, the Body of Christ is so varied and multi-faceted!
[…] I read a wonderfully written blog post by Bonnie Gray sharing how she rediscovered fun and laughter amidst the great “work” she was doing for […]
“You see, I worried much more about what God’s will was in my life, rather than trusting my life was already in His will.”
That? That blew me away. That was an awesome post, Bonnie.
Oh, Bonnie! Great post. There is a time for everything. Fun is pretty high on my list of priorities.
“Humor is a prelude to faith and laughter is the beginning of prayer.” – Reinhold Niebuhr
@NicktheGeek: “why do we live life as if cracking a smile will open the pit of hell right under our feet?” I know, huh?! So happy for the kids under your ministry, Nick! How fortunate they are getting the truth about life ministry before they hit the big leagues out there. Keep preachin’ it, bro!
@thatCarol!: SO awesome to “see” you here, Carol! You are definitely a walking example of laughter and faith. Your radiant smile is infectious!
@BillyCoffey: Thanks, Billy!
@Katdish: Whoa. Gotta hang that quote on my wall! Pronto!
I find balance hard.
I see too many people who are so obsessed with having fun that they forget to do any ministry and others for who the opposite is true.
I am probably in limbo between the two. I don’t really do any ministry but am too scared to have fun.
What?! Peter, you’re not serious, right? Your life is a ministry – your whole blog, fatherhood being one of life’s greatest discipleship ministry, your friendship, which I’ve been blessed with! You’re just yanking my chain, now.
“fun is now one of my top indicators of my faith health.” I love this sentence! I wish everyone felt this way.
@Vered: Yes, it would make this world a totally different place.
“You see, I worried much more about what God’s will was in my life, rather than trusting my life was already in His will.”
An unspoken rule in church growing up was. “If you want to be in ministry, you’re probably not called. It’s those that don’t want to be, He calls.”
That bugged me. I yearned to be in ministry, but had to pretend I didn’t want to be.
All my life I’d ask God, “what do you want me to do?” It seemed I would always get the same impression from Him; “What do you want to do?” I thought that couldn’t be God.
Now I know.
I want my kids and grandkids to do what they enjoy, what they love to do.
How much more our Loving Heavenly Father?
Great post – thank you.
“It seemed I would always get the same impression from Him; “What do you want to do?”
@Doug: Wow. That’s a keeper! I’m very encouraged by this. Thank you! What a LIFE blessing you and your words are to your kids and grandkids!
Hey, Bonnie, what a neat story! This is the first time I’ve gotten to look at this blog, and it’s fun to read this!
Tenny
Great words of wisdom. Thanks for sharing Bonnie!
@Tenny: Hi Tenny! You make me happy. 😉 Hugs.
@Karen: So happy to “see” you here! Thanks for your encouragement! Hugs.
“It seemed I would always get the same impression from Him; “What do you want to do?” LOVE this quote! It took ages for me to “get” this. God called me to teach. it was a true calling, not a job or even a career. It was what I WANTED to do, and the only value in it was intrinsic.
it is still a ministry and I have been out of teaching for 5 years. my former kids, now mostly grown, allow me to be part of their lives through conversations on facebook. i have the honor of continuing to “love on them” long after they left my classroom.
“You see, I worried much more about what God’s will was in my life, rather than trusting my life was already in His will.” PERFECT! Now that I am a mom, this is especially true for me. I am DOING God’s will in my life each day in raising my little girl to LOVE Him, in loving and supporting my husband, in trying to make our home a joyful place to be. I am IN ministry all day, every day. i don’t feel called to be in any other type of formal ministry at this stage in my life. Thus, this IS where God wants me to be.
Thank you for the reminder 🙂
@Catherine: So wonderful to hear how your life is a ministry – from your teaching “continuing to love on them” and your children.. a life long ministry for us mommies, which we’ll never retire. I am so 100% with you on this, girlfriend!
Thanks for a great post. I’ve enjoyed your blog. I stumbled across your site from your response on “22 Words”. I’ve faced similar struggles and drawn similar conclusions. The balance we need to strive for is putting God first in our hearts and affections. Once we can do that, we can trust him to guide through the remaining details.
I’ve found “Practicing the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence (circa 1600’s) to be an excellent meditation to guide my thoughts along these lines.
God will bless you as you seek his face. That is where true joy is found.
I love “Practicing the Presence of God.” In fact, I think I’ll go walk over to my bookshelf, to take it for another read. Books like that never get over read, don’t you think?
So glad you came to FaithBarista and hope you’ll continue visiting together on the blog.
Thanks for sharing your Flicker photos. What gorgeous family pics.
I love “22 words” as well!
Bonnie Gray, what an inspiration this blog post was to me! I stumbled upon it only because I was looking for an biblical illustration on how we need to laugh with our children. Just to think that it is actually possible that “having fun” could be a part of God’s will for my life brings me joy that is unspeakable! Here is what I want you to know: (2 Timothy 1:3) “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day.” I am so glad to have made this cybor contact and that we have Jesus Christ in common. God bless you my new friend. (Proverbs 17:22) “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
I stumbled upon your blog while reading our friend Bradley Moore’s blog. I’ve found him to be one of the most creative and consistently valid bloggers I read. I’ve also had the feeling that people who read his work are usually pretty good at thinking and expressing themselves, too. Your blog was no exception. Very human and authentic. Very sensible. I’ll visit again. Hope you will get as close to Christ as possible. And stay there! Keep up your good work.
@Richard: Welcome, Richard! Thanks for passing on those wonderful verses. Great you’re setting your kids on a faith path with joy.
@Don: Aw. Thanks, Doug. I hope you’ll visit again. Thanks for your encouragement.
Yeah! I love to have fun…but have been in a depression since our home has become an empty-nest. With our children recently all grown and moved away, I feel such a void. My ministry is my inner-city classroom full of first graders. I sure could use some side-splitting laughter! Thanks for your encouragement! 🙂
“You see, I worried much more about what God’s will was in my life, rather than trusting my life was already in His will.”
Wow! Thank you Bonnie! I came over here from Heart to Heart with Holly and I am so blessed by this post. I think I am here to stay!:)
You reminded me of some things that I have longed forgotten. I have the same story as another post. I was called “into the ministry” to teach and did it for 5 years. My husband and I adopted 2 children from China and I became a full time Mama. The plan was to go back to teaching when the girls went to school. However, my husband became disabled from a back injury and I now needed a job that paid more money. So I went back to an earlier career in the business world and he became Mr. Mom.
I found myself whining about – what was His Will? How could THIS be His Will…something else must be coming. I now know that I AM in His Will and he has shown me that with SO MANY blessings along the way.
Thanks for the reminder to have FUN. The Lord gave us our sense of humor so I am sure He must want us to use it.
God Bless!
Michelle
@Joan: Thanks for stopping by to comment today. I can understand how depression can hit with such a big life change as an empty-nester.
Thank you for sharing your feelings and adding to the voices on this topic that everyone needs more of: laughter!
@Michelle: Hi Michelle! Sounds like I just met another Faith Barista! 😉 Our faith paths are similar. Your story is unique to you, but for sure, it is hard being thrown a left curve when we were planning to go straight! You are right. You ARE in His will and I’m banking you will have many stories to share of His blessings later down the years. For now, you and I gotta get by laughing! .. by God’s grace. Wonderful to have you here.
[…] 3. Laughter Is The Best Faith Medicine […]
Hey very nice blog!! Man .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your blog and take the feeds also…
[…] we are in joy debt so deep — and we can’t even find it – spend time with a friend who has […]
[…] Fill That Glass Half Full: The Golden Rules Of Fearless […]
[…] didn’t leave Pastor Rich’s office changed and repentant. I was still happier living with my plans and preconceptions about […]