Most mornings, I get up and play with God. I know this sounds silly, and it is! I start my day with prayer and reading through a pre-planned section of the Bible to get uncomfortably close to God, removing the barriers I put around my heart to protect myself, recognizing that my selfish desires are natural and get in the way of having fun with God. I look for pride in myself daily by examining my actions from the day before and… laughing at myself. I ask God for help not to do whatever it was and ask God to show me how to love better today and tangibly in the future. Exposing myself to God’s word to get close to God for the sake of relationship requires me to see myself as a child and learn of better ways in Him.
When I was a child, I was quiet and reserved. I learned at a young age that trouble followed those that stood out, made noise, and did not yield to those in positions of power. God blessed me in middle school with a friend that encouraged me to ditch the fear that had my heart and challenged my thinking by asking me what I believed about myself, God’s love, and my future. My classmate did this as only middle schoolers can with genuine vulnerability, curious listening, and a familial love found in Christ. He challenged me to expand my boundaries by seeing me and pointing out borders that made me unique. In this relationship, my beliefs were challenged, and I learned that it was okay to joyfully and intentionally laugh.
My play with God currently looks like taking prayers out of the Bible and repeatedly writing them with my voice, thoughts, and dreams throughout the week. A few months ago, it looked like giving out gifts to people I don’t know that serve others tirelessly in hospitals. A few years ago, playing with God became a devotional for disciple-makers and new believers. For me, play depends on where I am in my journey with God, but a sign of healthy recreation is laughter.
When you hear me laughing or see me smiling, know that it does not mean that life is perfect, easy, or filled with things of the world that have made me happy for a moment. More times than not, I am struggling with something spiritually, physically, or emotionally but I recognize that I have no control over my life. My life is Christ’s. He wants to use my brokenness. I want to hide it, and He wants me to share His work. I am not allowing shame or pride to define me. I choose how I respond in life. I embrace laughing at myself, to laugh at contradictions in the day, at the little things in the day that caused me to smile, stay humble, and force myself to rest in Him.
Often when I am not laughing, I get quiet because I try to figure out what God is doing and when I do that, I stop dreaming about tomorrow. I often lose sight of God’s vision for a better relationship with others, myself, and His people. I am most joyful when my eyes are focused on helping others live out their purpose as we get to know better the infinite, eternal, all-wise God.
Practice makes perfect when what you are practicing is perfect. I am practicing being vulnerable with God throughout the day and ways that allow others to see my boundaries, brokenness, and what I believe. I believe children should feel safe, play, and learn in the playing. My interest in God is not flat or the same every day but dynamically intense and requires me to be curious about Him, myself, and those he has graciously placed me among to love. My childishness does not define me. My freedom in Him to learn, listen, and laugh is defined by His will.
I genuinely hope you will laugh at yourself and have fun with God today.
Brother in Christ,
Dave C. Joseph Jr. , Care and Counseling Pastor