Holy Alive: The Playful Pursuit of God Issue 07

Description

We all know how to play—we do it as children. But adulthood, if nothing else, seems to be the triumph of the serious over the silly, of responsibility over revels, and of earnestness over entertainment. Yet psychologists display remarkable consensus declaring that we do not lose our need for novelty and pleasure as we grow up. If anything, because it is no longer natural, that need intensifies.

Playfulness is not the meaningless pursuit of frivolity. During play, our brains are making sense of our context and identity through stimulation and testing. This means that the more we play, the more self-aware we become.

We need to learn to pray and play at the same time, welcoming the Spirit to transform us through ever-increasing joy.