The Bible says that “a merry heart does good, like medicine” (Proverbs 17:22 NKJV) and “for the happy heart, life is a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15 NLT).
What Science Says
But does being merry and cheerful actually bring real, measurable health benefits? According to Science, the answer is a resounding “yes”. Here are just a few findings…
- Mirthful laughter reduces inflammation, improves diabetes control, and reduces incidence of heart attacks.
- Cardiologists at the University of Maryland found that patients who were suffering from myocardial infarction (heart attack) were 40 percent less likely to laugh. However, laughter was shown to reduce the risk of having a heart attack.
- Other researchers found beneficial effects of laughter on the blood vessel. Nitric oxide is a chemical that the body uses to dilate blood vessels. Mental stress was shown to degrade nitric oxide. This would mean that laughter minimizes the negative effects of stress by reducing the breakdown of nitric oxide, leading to vasodilatation and better blood flow. On average, laughter increased blood flow by 22 percent and stress decreased blood flow by 35 percent.
- Laughter has even been shown to improve the response of the immune system.
In addition to the benefits listed above, laughter provides you with many more benefits: reduced anger and irritability, improved mood, decreased stress and tension, improved pain threshold, improved lung function, and reduced blood sugar levels.
I should point out here for those with certain medical conditions that while mirthfulness and a cheerful attitude remain beneficial, vigorous or forceful laughter could cause problems: a hernia could be worsened; an aneurysm could be ruptured; uncontrolled asthmatics could have breathing difficulty; etc.
Delight or Burden
The attitude of our hearts however has a real impact on our health and wellbeing. And this gives insight into why the Bible says we must call the Sabbath a delight (Isaiah 58:13). If we observe the Sabbath (or any religious ritual) as a rule—merely an obligation to fulfill—a restriction, a time of all the things we can’t do, then the Sabbath isn’t a delight but a burden.
Rather than being a blessing to us, the Sabbath observed in such a way, as a checklist of obedience, becomes a hardship. Health is not improved; in fact, it is actually worsened. This is why we are to, “rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NIV).
God is our Creator and His laws are design law—the protocols upon which reality is built to operate, including the laws of health, physics, gravity, and the moral laws. Harmony with God’s laws always brings health and happiness, while violations are always damaging. “The laws of the Lord are right, and those who obey them are happy” (Psalm 19:8 GNT).
Human beings cannot create reality; our laws are not the protocols upon which reality operates. Instead, sinful humans make up rules and then inflict punishments for breaking those rules, as there are no inherent consequences to violating such arbitrary rules. This results in laws that violate God’s design undermining health and happiness, “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful” (Proverbs 29:18 NLT).
Yes, loving parents set healthy rules (boundaries) to keep their children from playing in the street, or to ensure they brush their teeth, but we all know the real injury for breaking the rule is not from the parent, but from breaking the design laws—having their body broken by a car or their teeth decay. When the child grows up they realize that they never needed to fear their parent; they have greater love and respect for the rules that protected them when young.
But if we replace the truth of God’s design laws for human imposed laws and experience obedience to God in the same we do human law (that is, under the threat of punishment) then we incite fear, stress, and anxiety, which damages our physical and mental well-being. We must see God as our loving Father who does discipline, does set boundaries, does give rules like our parents have done, but always to protect us from what sin will do to us if we break His design laws for life.
Laws of Love
God is love (1 John 4:8) and invites us into the fellowship of love, but love cannot be commanded; therefore, we cannot enforce God’s laws with threats. Likewise, God cannot change hearts, heal minds, nor transform characters by threatening to kill people who won’t love and trust Him. The only way to truly keep God’s law is from a free heart. To promote God’s kingdom with any other method than love, truth, and freedom is to injure, incite rebellion and undermine health and wellbeing.
I invite you to rejoice, laugh, and be cheerful because God is our Creator and His laws of love are the protocols reality is built upon—understand these protocols and choose, with a free heart, to live in harmony with them.
A merry heart is truly good medicine!
For even more from Dr. Tim Jennings check out his book The God-Shaped Brain,
What you believe about God actually changes your brain.
Brain research in neuroscience has found that our thoughts and beliefs affect our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Mind and body are interrelated, and we are designed for healthy relationships of love and trust. When we understand God as good and loving, we flourish.
Unfortunately, many of us have distorted images of God and mostly think of him in fearful, punitive ways. This leads us into unhealthy patterns of self-defeating behaviors and toxic relationships. But our lives can change when God renews our minds with a truer picture of him.
