LET JOY AND LAUGHTER RETURN!

After my first five years as Lead Pastor, I began to notice that something that defined me as a person was slipping away as I stepped more and more into my leadership role. I was losing my joy, my sense of humor, my laughter. My calendar was filled with appointments, counseling, planning, conferences, sermon preparation, staff meetings, construction, leadership training. Every day there were important decisions to be made, we were well into a building program and construction crews were on site daily, there were constant interruptions to my day by my construction foreman who needed me to make decisions on tile color, electrical outlet locations, texture choice for the sheetrock, paint colors, lighting and on and on.

Somewhere along the way, I had lost my joy. Throughout my life I have been known by family and friends as the person who made others laugh. In fact it had become an expectation among those who knew me well, that I was going to bring laughter and fun to the gathering. I think in many instances it was the primary reason I was invited to some events and parties. People would say: Ok we have the food, the decorations, what can we do for entertainment…I know let’s invite Alan, he always makes us laugh. I enjoyed that my friends and family liked that part of my personality. In truth, I sometimes planned ahead for some of those gatherings, a kind of comedy skit so to speak.

Stepping into this top leadership position, I had pushed back that joyful part of my personality and embraced a more serious, no nonsense kind of personality. You remember the saying: “No crying in baseball”… I had turned that into “No laughter in Ministry”. Not only was it no fun for me anymore it was quite depressing for those around me. My wife was first to notice, then my staff and of course friends and family. There were mumblings about me going for counseling, taking time off perhaps a sabbatical, going to a worship conference, even taking up a hobby. Initially I pushed back on all of these suggestions and pressed on.

I was sitting in the auditorium, near some construction debris, and I started to laugh. I couldn’t stop laughing. Everything was funny. It was both an earthly joyful moment and a holy heavenly moment. It felt as if Jesus was right there with me laughing. I laughed so hard, there were tears, my stomach was hurting but my heart was full! I was welcoming the Joy of the Lord into my life. That part of my personality that I had buried was having a resurrection and it was awesome!

Where is your laughter today? Many have lost their joy in the midst of this world wide storm we have been facing. Perhaps you think laughing is a waste of time and there are too many serious issues that need to be addressed. Have you forgotten how your soul is renewed when you laugh? Creativity and laughter have always been good friends. When we open to the joy of laughter we get a different perspective on life. Remember how much you enjoyed listening to your children laugh. One of the top viewed videos on youtube is a baby laughing. Nothing more, nothing less.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Ro. 15:13)

Pastor Alan Kirkpatrick is Lead Pastor at Grace Place Church in Round Rock Texas. www.gp.church