Tag Archives: Merry Heart

Are You Medicated?

Posted on by
Reply

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

As we start the second half of our discouragement series, we will be focusing on encouragement. Encouragement is the medicine that heals the heart and brings joy. As we are in the process of healing our discouraged spirit, we are focusing on exactly what we have to do to restore that joy which will bring about a soul which is at rest.

I just love God’s Word! Our compassionate Father, who pities us, gives us verses in the Bible that are right there for us to glean from. All we have to do is search them out. A simple Bible software program has a search feature which allows me to search for particular words. Today, I searched for the word “merry” and my soul leaped within me when I discovered James 5:13. What a wonderful solution to obtaining that merry heart!

~James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 

It stands to reason that if I am not merry, then I am not singing psalms. Who wants to sing joyful song when they are sad? This person would much rather listen to “the blues.” Right? Therefore, if I want to be merry, I need to sing psalms! Is that simple or what? Not only did the Lord provide the solution in James 5:13, but our Succorer gave us the Book of Psalms. Furthermore, not only did He give us one or two psalms, but our Creator knew we would be in need of many and gave us 150 of them! Three psalms a day is enough to keep any soul merry!

My friend, I hate to sound like a broken record, but once again the Word comes into play. Everything we need in life is contained in the Word. It is the very food (bread) that we need to feed the spirit within us.

~Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 

Kate Plourde
August 22, 2006

You are my light, my water, my bread
A cleansing power is Your blood so red
This Crimson Thread is revealed throughout
Each letter, each page Your Word thus shouts

Excerpt from “Your Word, My Breath”

Day 16 – The Merry Heart

Posted on by
Reply

Prov. 17:22 “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

Have you ever been around a Christian who just simply was a pleasure to be around? Their laugh was contagious, their smile brightened your day and their whole demeanor glorified the Lord, Jesus Christ.

We always like being around someone like this don’t we? It seems that all our problems temporarily disappear and, for a time, we’ve entered their field of joy. No wonder Solomon stated that this merry person was like a good medicine. So many times I have visited a brother or sister in Christ with the sole purpose of encouraging them. Yet, it was I who was encouraged by spending time with that dear, merry saint!

Neh. 8:10b says that the joy of the LORD is our strength. In the world’s eyes, this dear saint’s circumstances were glum at best, but the Lord provides joy and peace to that merry heart. How? Through His Word! And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:7) The person whose heart and mind are focused on Christ, won’t be worrying – won’t be depressed – won’t be anxious. Instead, this person knows that the Lord will take care of all the details no matter what. That kind of faith brings such peace – and peace brings joy. There’s nothing better than to know that a problem is being taken care of and you no longer have to fret over it.

Solomon was also quick to point out in the same sentence that the person with a “broken spirit” dries the bones. This person wears his emotions on his face. His countenance clearly tells you what is wrong in his life. The sorrows of the mind “drieth the bones” – in other words, this person’s demeanor consumes the very marrow of his being. It’s not superficial but goes way down deep into the heart of the person. He does not have a merry heart – he is joyless. I see this person walking with stooped shoulders as though the weight of the world is upon him. He has no confidence or faith in his God. He does not seek to find the solution but wallows in self pity. Rather than remove himself from the fires around him, he sticks around. Rather than go to the Source where healing can be found, he remains in his circumstances.

So, are we as quick to be around such a person? Many times, this joyless person blames his circumstances on everyone else but himself – never searching God’s Word for encouragement, let alone for healing.

I would rather be known as a Christian who has helped cheer another and brought healing into their lives than a Christian who has brought a frown upon people’s faces by my demeanor and actions.

Dear God…
Testimonies of a merry heart
Are like a ripple on still water
Touching many lives along the way
Sharing peace through stormy weather