Your ability to laugh says something about your emotional and spiritual well being. Persecuted Chinese Pastors who spent years in prison for their faith learned to maintain a sense of humor and a spirit of joy.
Are you a happy person? When a friend describes your personality to another person does that include the part that says, “He or she has a great sense of humor.”
Do you laugh often… or did your light-heartedness get stolen away from you because of the stresses of life? If it did, you need to re-think some things.
Nik Ripkin in his book, “The Insanity of God” shares some intense stories of personal interviews with Christians who served and suffered great persecution while spreading the gospel around the world. Following is an excerpt from the book about three Chinese pastors who spent three years in prison together for spreading the gospel.
They were extremely grateful that they were arrested at the same time and placed in the same prison for three years together. They knew that being together in prison would be much easier than enduring persecution alone.
Nik Ripkin was able to be in China and interview these three Chinese pastors just days after their release from prison. Nik shares the interview in his book, “The Insanity of God.” They met in a hotel room in secret. The three pastors were excited to share their stories and insisted that rather than be interviewed individually, they wanted to tell the stories together.
Surprisingly, the pastors chose to act out several of their experiences of persecution “like a skit.” While acting out the stories they would often correct each other about forgotten details or the accuracy of certain elements of their persecution. They would laugh and even poke fun at one another while rehearsing some of the most horrific circumstances.
One story the pastors told… and this is a tough story to hear… was what they referred to as “Color or Black and White TV.” They acted out the story as a skit. The prison guard would come into the cell and grab them by the arms from behind. He would continue to twist the arms like a pretzel causing excruciating pain. The arms would be twisted up and into the air as if to be a TV antenna. Then the guard would begin to push the prisoner toward the toilet which was sunken into the floor. While moving closer to the toilet the guard would refer to the arms as a TV antenna and ask what kind of reception are we going to have today? Lifting the arms higher and forcing the face down closer to the toilet, he would look inside and shove the face into the toilet. If there was human waste he would say, “We have color TV today.” And if not it was a black and white TV day.
These persecuted Chinese pastors acted out the story and laughed as they recounted those difficult days of persecution.
This is what Nik Ripkin says about what he observed from these men…
The fact that they were laughing about it now— especially since they had only been out of prison a short time— was actually reassuring. It may seem odd to be talking about humor in the midst of this kind of horror. But humor is a powerful indicator of psychological health. One of the clearest warning signs of undue psychological stress that we watched for among our relief staff in Somalia was the loss of an appropriate sense of humor. When our workers found it impossible to see and respond to humor, it was clear that they were in serious need of emotional relief and healing.
How do we move forward in life and maintain a spirit of joy? Two ways:
John 15:11 says, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” To be full of joy means to be crammed full as in a net crammed full of fish… with no room for more.
1. Active Dependence – John 15:4-8
There are four benefits of dependence.
A. Dependence produces fruit. Verse 4-5
B. Dependence produces usefulness. Verse 6
C. Dependence produces answered prayer. Verse 7
D. Dependence glorifies God. Verse 8
2. Loving Obedience – John 15:9-10
When we understand the love of God, we will respond to Him with loving obedience. There are three reasons to obey God:
A. Dread – I obey because I fear what may happen if I choose not to.
B. Duty – I obey out of my duty or obligation to God.
C. Desire – I obey out of a loving heart, desiring to know and please Him.
How are you doing today in your journey? Can you see God’s hand in your current circumstances and lovingly depend upon Him and obey Him knowing He is going to pull you through with a new purpose and plan that will be amazing?
Leave a comment: How has maintaining a sense of humor and finding joy in difficult times helped you?
