Fun is Holy: Embracing Joy in Spiritual Life

Explore the biblical case for why fun is holy. See how joy, play, and spiritual delight draw you closer to God and deepen your Christian faith.

What Does “Fun Is Holy” Mean?

Before I provide the Scripture that supports this claim, let’s explore what it means.

A Simple Definition

Fun is Holy because joy is part of God’s nature, and when we experience joy, we experience Him.

“Fun is holy” sounds surprising at first. However, joy, delight, celebration, and connection are expressions of a spiritual life. They aren’t distracted from it. While I understand that not all fun is holy, Christians often spend more energy avoiding evil than pursuing worship, joy, and spiritual aliveness.

Why The Idea That Fun is Holy Matters for Modern Christians

Firstly, Jesus said the world would recognize His disciples by their love, not their fear or judgment. In this way, keeping in mind that fun is holy may help Christians model genuine joy and community.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35 NIV

Additionally, even in the Old Testament, the part of the Bible we often think of as harsh, God commanded His people to celebrate. As we celebrate, we embody the idea that fun is holy and purposeful.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10 NIV

The Promise of This Post

This post will show that joy doesn’t exist outside spirituality. Instead, fun is a spiritual evidence. You’ll see that Scripture consistently connects joy with God’s presence, Jesus’ teaching, and the life of the early church. And that fun, when rooted in love and goodness, can draw you closer to God. Simply put, discovering that fun is holy changes our approach to joy.

Is Fun Really Holy? A Scriptural Foundation

This idea that Fun is Holy scared me at first. I feared it might be sacrilegious at worst and, at best, not supported by Scripture. On the contrary, the more I studied, the more I realized: while not all fun is holy, true, healthy fun often reflects a spiritual life. When seen through the lens of faith, fun’s holy nature becomes clearer.

1. God Is the Source of Joy

God created joy, and He made everything that produces joy. He is the gardener who cultivates our fruitfulness. Moreover, recognizing that fun is holy lets us celebrate God’s creativity with an open heart.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

Psalms 16:11 NIV

Accordingly, we want to be like David, dancing with exuberance at the return of the Ark of the Covenant. Scripture celebrates David’s joy and his treating fun as holy. Don’t be like Michal, who despised him for it.

David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. ‘

2 Samuel 6:21 NIV

2. The Biblical Case for Joy

Joy is not a personality trait. Instead, it is a fruit of the Spirit, evidence that God is present and active. For Christians, it’s important to remember that fun is a holy experience when it flows from the Spirit.

Fruit is evidence that the tree is well-rooted in good soil. Furthermore, Jesus said that he is the vine, and we are the branches. The ones who abide in Him bear more fruit. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit. The first two on Paul’s list are love and joy.

A life filled with laughter, delight, play, celebration, lightness, and connection isn’t spiritually shallow. It’s spiritually rooted and signals joy, Paul’s 2nd fruit of the Spirit. In this sense, Christians know that fun—when pursued well—can be holy by nature.

What about the first fruit of the Spirit, love? Contrary to most social media posts, love is way more fun than hate. That’s one more sign that fun is deeply holy when it leads toward loving community.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5 NIV

Here we see that fruitful fun is holy when it is grounded in Christ.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

3. Did Jesus Use Humor When Teaching?

Absolutely. Jesus used exaggeration, irony, and playful imagery to make His points memorable. In fact, His blending of humor and spiritual wisdom shows us that, in the life of faith, fun is holy too.

Am I the only one who finds the way Jesus taught about judging others in Matthew 7? He says it three times, with a little more exaggeration each time. Jesus’s repeating this statement says two things to me. Firstly, it tells me that Jesus does not want us to judge others. He’s calling us hypocrites for judging others. Secondly, it reveals Jesus’ sense of humor. These few verses in Matthew 7 remind me of a comedian repeating and over-explaining a joke for effect.

He delivered His lesson against judgment with clarity. He delivered the message with humor, not just to make the lesson memorable, but to emphasize how ridiculous we are. Humor is an excellent teaching tool. Jesus knows that and uses it. Seen through this lens, when joy and teaching combine, it reminds us again that fun is, in fact, holy in everyday faith.

Jesus attended weddings, had dinner with friends, and even dined with sinners. He even had dinner with tax collectors! When criticized, He responded with clever analogies and a lightness that drew people in. Thus, the holy nature of fun is also seen in Jesus’ everyday life and relationships.

4. Why Fun Is Not Frivolous

Many Christians think of fun as something extra and frivolous. They think of fun not only as separate from a spiritual life but also as sinful. The Bible offers many examples of God using joy, delight, and celebration to strengthen His people.

Thinking of fun as being frivolous is part of the reason Christians lean more towards seriousness and solemnity than to joy and fun. Contrary to that view, fun energizes us. Fun brings us closer together, builds resilience, and strengthens faith.

Fun as Fuel

‘A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. ‘

Proverbs 17:22 NIV

Joy replenishes the body and Spirit.

Fun as Connection

‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!’

Psalms 133:1-2 NIV

Shared joy builds community.

Holy Fun as Spiritual Resilience

‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ‘

James 1:2-3 NIV

Joy helps us endure hardship.

Fun as a Witness

‘Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’

Acts 2:46-47 NIV

Joy attracted people to the church.

Joy strengthens faith because it comes from God. When we experience joy, we experience Him. That supports the idea that fun is holy.

If depression or anxiety prevents you from experiencing joy, these Bible verses about depression may help you find a little peace.

How Fun Draws You Closer to God

Fun is Holy means the things that make you feel alive, connected, creative, and joy‑filled are not sinful or even frivolous. On the contrary, they are sacred because they reflect the God who is joy, creativity, and life itself.

Practical Ways to Have Holy Fun

How can I have fun that is holy? Here are a few suggestions.

Connect With Friends

This suggestion may sound like a very un-2020s thing to do, but spend time with loved ones. Celebrate life with them, express love for them, and enjoy that connection.

In case that comes across as cheesy, I don’t mean that you should sit around telling each other how much you love them. One way my friends and I show our love for one another is by making fun of each other’s hair and clothes. Or anything else.

We’re dudes. It’s what we do.

Awe at the Beauty of God’s Creations

After you’ve connected with friends, go outside and connect with nature. Admire the details. Stare with awe and fascination at the beauty, intricacy, and interconnectedness of all God’s creation.

Listen to Music for Holy Fun

Full disclosure: While I love Petra, Skillet, and Wavorly, I listen to a lot of secular music. You may have heard my Rush song analysis on Rush Fans or Every Rush Song. I love all kinds of music. Music is one of God’s most wondrous creations.
As that classic rock song says, God gave Rock ‘n Roll to you!

Reading Can Be Holy Fun

Even though many may find them unholy for many reasons, I love Dune, Harry Potter, and Leigh Bardugo’s “Grishaverse.”
As amazing as those series are, The Bible is the richest, deepest, most intricate, and cohesive book ever written. Even if you don’t believe it’s The Word of God, you’ll find the Bible is fantastic literature and well worth diving into.

Are you like me, though? I struggled with reading it because I didn’t understand it. I started listening to the Bible in a Year Podcast (with Father Mike Schmitz) last year. Even though I’m not Catholic, I love his in-depth explanations. Father Mike is funny, a sincere Christian, and his podcast helps you read and understand the entire Bible in a year.

Remember the Sabbath and Keep it Holy

Rest. Just as fun is holy, rest is sacred. Also, our bodies need it for numerous physiological reasons.

‘Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. ‘

Mark 2:27 NIV

Call your friends and put on your shoes. Put those activities on your calendar right now.

Closing: Fun as a Spiritual Practice

It’s easier for fun to be holy when it’s intentional. Just as you shouldn’t wait until you “have time” to pray and read Scripture, don’t wait for fun to happen. Schedule time with God, time reading Scripture, and time for fun.

Celebrate holidays. Enjoy the fun activities above. You know what activities energize you, make you feel alive, absorb your so you lose track of time, and make you feel connected to others. Above all, remain intentional about making time for those activities.

As Mad-Eye Moody said, “Constant vigilance!”

‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.’

James 1:17 NIV

Fun is a good and perfect gift. Fun is holy.