A Merry Heart

Finding joy in the midst of life’s trials or even in the midst of all that is happening in this darkening world can be challenging. We are constantly barraged with negative news stories. We are daily facing things we never thought we’d have to face. We wish things were different in so many ways. It can be so much to process…

And yet, in scripture we read that a merry heart is good for us—like medicine.

The depression/anxiety connection to bad health is so interesting, but yet makes so much sense when one considers this verse in Proverbs—

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:
but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

A merry heart will be like medicine to us in this dark, troublesome world. A broken, hopeless spirit will make things so much worse.

As I was struggling to find joy this morning, this verse reminded me that joy is a choice. We don’t just automatically have a “merry heart”. Well, perhaps some people do.

But for those of you, who like me, tend to over-analyze and think a lot about a lot of things, it’s easy to fall into the broken spirit category. Whether it’s about this world, about our own sin, about things going on in our own little worlds—a broken spirit comes more naturally to some of us than others.

But choosing to have a merry heart will not only be like medicine to our souls, it will also be like medicine to our relationships. It will always be the best choice.

We may not be able to choose our circumstances. We may not be able to go back to the “way things were”. We can’t change this world’s direction. But we can change our own hearts and minds. We can choose to have a merry heart.

Not a naive “merry” that is unaware of the seriousness of trials and happenings. But a “merry” that is based on the truth of scripture, despite the trials and happenings. We understand that we serve a sovereign God who knows exactly what is happening in all areas of this world—down to the tiniest corners of our hearts. We not only serve Him but He has saved us from eternal death.

Our choice to have a merry heart is not based on fairy tales and lies, but on this truth: My God loves me and has saved me for all eternity. And nothing can take that away.

Do you, like me, so easily lose sight of this truth in the midst of all that is happening in life? Do you, like me, sometimes struggle to have a merry heart as you live day-to-day?

I hope this verse encourages someone today as it encouraged me.