Does God have a sense of humor? Considering creation and Scripture, it seems that our Creator does have a humorous side. There are numerous animals with very peculiar behaviors and facial expressions: the baboon, the ostrich, the koala, the walrus and the skunk. 
How about the blue-footed booby bird, let alone the antics of the baby animals! God created the animals and commanded Adam to name them. Can you imagine the comical moments he could have had when he did that?
“And the Eternal God formed out of the ground every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called the living creatures, that is their name. And Adam named every beast and every fowl of the air and every cattle of the field” (Genesis 2:19-20).
Consider an active squirrel running around for no apparent reason. How could God create squirrels and so many funny animals without smiling or thinking about making His children laugh? Could this be His way of giving us lighter moments? Sharing humor could be considered an essential part of our survival and well-being, according to medical research.
“Laughter produces natural stimulation, which activates the brain’s reward center, releasing feel-good chemicals such as dopamine and endorphins. Scientists believe humans have a built-in laughter detector that responds to the sound of laughter, which explains contagious giggles” (WebMD.com).
When it comes to a romantic connection, many studies have found that laughter can strengthen the relationship. When two people laugh together, laughter is an indicator of how much they like each other. In addition, laughter helps the heart with blood flow, increases serotonin levels to fight depression and, surprisingly, burns calories.
According to Dr. William Fry, a leading researcher on the psychology of laughter, laughter is equivalent to “internal jogging.” Fry stated that one minute of laughter is equivalent to 10 minutes on a rowing machine. He also indicated that laughter relieves tension, stress and anger (HealthLine.com).
Wouldn’t our Creator be responsible for this need, with options built into His creation?
Humor is a comical, absurd, or incongruous quality that causes amusement; peculiar characteristics and whimsy. Joy is the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; great pleasure.
“Physical expressions of joy, and terms for rejoicing, are frequently mentioned in Scripture: singing, clapping, dancing, shouting, leaping, or stamping one’s feet. Occasions for rejoicing include feasts, sacrificial offerings, celebrations of harvests or victories, rejoicing in prosperity, recovery of health, and as part of public worship” (Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Volume 2, 1990, Abingdon Press, p. 1000).
It is wonderful to see how many ways God has given us to express our joy and how many times we are exhorted to do so: “All you peoples, shake hands; shout to God with a joyful voice” (Psalm 47:1). In Psalm 98:8, the earth is also described as joyful.
Scripture teaches us how essential emotions are for growing in grace, for being spiritually closer to God and to others. It also shows us how extremes of emotion, such as reckless abandonment, can bring pain. The Bible includes joy as a fruit of God’s Spirit:
“But the fruit of the Spirit [el resultado de su presencia dentro de nosotros] is love [cuidado desinteresado por los demás], joy, peace [interna], patience [not only the ability to wait, but how we act while we wait], kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Galatians 5:22).
It is interesting to study one fruit because it quickly becomes apparent how they are all interrelated. Each seems to help with different types of pain, like a tree with a variety of nutritious fruits.
For me, a good laugh is often the only thing that can heal some sadness. Funny pet videos shared by friends on social media can soothe a burdened heart: “A merry heart is a good remedy; but a sad spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22).