“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”
— Proverbs 17:22 (NLT)
Modern doctors are now learning what the Bible has known all along. A lively, high-spirited, joyful heart is good for your health, just like medicine. By contrast, a subdued, weakened spirit drains a person’s strength, leaving him exhausted and weak. Believe it or not, the choice is yours!
When you receive bad news — a poor grade on a test, your friend is moving — you have two choices. You can cry and get depressed and eat a box of chocolates. Or you can smile, choose cheerful, uplifting words to share, and help transform a bad situation into a hopeful one.
Being cheerful is a choice. Most of us have known people who didn’t have much to be cheerful about, but chose to be upbeat and happy anyway. They’ve learned a great secret. They know being cheerful will help keep them strong.
As one preacher put it, “If you have the joy of the Lord, notify your face.” In other words, smile! Proverbs 15:13 says a joyful, glad heart should produce a cheerful, happy face. Stand in front of the mirror, crack a big smile, and feel the immediate inner change.
More To Explore: Proverbs 15:30 and Psalm 126:2 – 3
Girl Talk: Have you ever wanted to gripe about something but said something positive instead? How does that make you feel?
God Talk: “Lord, I know things can’t always go my way. Help me to smile in all things and look to you for comfort and relief. Thank you for always being here with me. Amen.”
From No Boys Allowed by Kristi Holl