You can usually tell when a person is experiencing difficult times. That’s because we tend to allow our circumstances to dictate our attitude. If everything is going well, we are almost certain to be happy. But bad news often turns our smile upside down.
It does not have to be that way, however. We can’t control many of the things that happen to us in life. But we do determine the attitude we display toward undesirable times in our life. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones,” the psalmist writes (Proverbs 17:22, KJV).
Note that this verse does not refer to a happy heart but a merry heart. The word merry in the verse comes from a word that means joyous. In Christ, we can have joy in our heart even when our circumstances don’t make us happy. Accordingly, Paul the apostle wrote the Philippian church telling the saints there to, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4, KJV).
The Benefits of a Merry Heart
A key word in this verse is the word always. No matter what your circumstances are, you can always choose a merry heart or you can allow circumstances to get you down. When you choose the former, according to this verse, it imparts a healing effect to your inner being.
I believe most people agree with the words of the psalmist. That is, that a merry heart has a healing effect. Even your local physician will tell you that when you are gravely ill, it is imperative to keep your spirit up. By contrast, when a person allows circumstances to break his spirit, the psalmist says it will dry the bones.
Perhaps you feel as though life has dealt you a bad hand. As a boss of mine used to say, “Mama never said life was fair.” Furthermore, being a Christian does not exempt you from adversity or unwarranted persecution. But it is within your power to choose to have a merry heart even in the midst of those times.
Another benefit comes from having a merry heart. It can positively impact the lives of others. People tend to migrate toward those who display joy and optimism in spite of their circumstances. Our ability to do that demonstrates a difference Christ makes in our life. Conversely, people are less likely to be drawn to those who are easily discouraged and always complaining about the hand life has dealt them.
So, what is it that enables us to be merry, regardless of our circumstances? It is our faith in God and His peace within us. They are the source of our joy. He promises to never leave nor forsake us. He causes us to triumph in all things. When we really believe those things, we can have a merry heart regardless of our circumstances. For we know that God makes all things work together for our good.
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.