Holy Humor

Joy Rooted in the Gospel

Key Verse: John 15:11 – “These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

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There’s a kind of laughter that lives on long after the joke has ended. I still hear it sometimes—echoing in my mind—the sound of my husband Ron’s deep, joyful laugh.

Ron loved a good joke. Even more, he loved doing silly things just to make the kids and me laugh. We didn’t have much money when our children were small, but he made up for that with creativity and heart. One Halloween, he showed up as “Underwear Man,” dressed in long johns with T-shirts and boxers pinned all over them. Another time, after breaking the arm of his glasses, he tied a piece of yarn over his ear and wore them proudly like that for days.

It’s been almost six years since he moved to Heaven, but that laugh—it still finds me.

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God Loves Laughter, Too

Over time, I’ve come to believe God enjoys a good laugh just as much. I mean, really—have you ever looked closely at a hippopotamus?

But here’s the difference: the joy God gives isn’t sarcastic or cutting. It’s deep and healing. It comes from knowing that death doesn’t get the final word. Jesus does.

Remember when Sarah laughed at the idea of having a baby in her old age? (Genesis 18:12) And when it finally happened, she named him Isaac—which means “laughter.” God made good on His promise, and joy spilled over.

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The Greatest Twist in History

The Resurrection is joy’s greatest source—and its greatest surprise.

Think about it: Satan thought he had it all wrapped up. Judas betrayed Jesus. Pilate condemned Him. The Cross stood tall on a hill. But what looked like the end was really just the setup.

When the women came to the tomb on Easter morning, what they found wasn’t grief—it was the punch line to God’s cosmic twist. The tomb was empty. Jesus had risen. Death was undone.

That moment? It changed everything.

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When Laughter Stays Quiet but Sure

Ron’s final months weren’t easy—so many surgeries, too many hospital stays. But during that time, something settled in him. A quiet joy. He knew where he was going.

Just a few days before he passed, he looked at me and said with a little smile:

“One of the first things I’m going to do when I get to Heaven is have a good laugh at the Devil.”

Even now, I carry that with me. His laughter. His peace. His confidence that Jesus really had won.

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A Joy That Stays

Holy humor isn’t about pretending we’re never in pain. It’s about trusting that pain won’t last forever. The Resurrection gives us that assurance. The victory is already won.

Joy doesn’t cancel sorrow—but it steadies us through it.

Even science agrees: joy has healing power. Studies from the NIH and the Mayo Clinic show that positive thinking can help us heal faster and live better. But as believers, our joy goes even deeper. It’s not wishful thinking—it’s resurrection truth.

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Every Day, Not Just Easter

Ron taught me that laughter can be holy. That even in the face of suffering, we can smile. We can even laugh—because we know how the story ends.

So let’s not save our joy just for Easter morning. Let it spill over into Monday afternoons and ordinary Thursdays. Let’s live like the joke’s already been played—and Satan’s already lost.

Because he has.

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A Prayer for the Journey

Dear Father,
Thank You for laughter. Thank You for the kind of joy that stays, even in grief. Thank You for the Resurrection—the plot twist that changes everything. Help us to live with holy humor, and to laugh with the confidence that You have already won.
Amen.