Having a joyful heart

A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit. A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash. For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast. Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. Proverbs 15:13-16

A heart filled with gratefulness because of God’s faithfulness is visible in our countenance. But when the spirit is broken, it leads to despair and discouragement. Our circumstances and future might look bleak but because we know that God sees everything from beginning until the end, we trust Him. “He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can” (Ecclesiastes 3:11-12). As King Solomon said; “Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil” Proverbs 15:16). What helps us not throwing in the towel is our complete dependence on God. This is what gives us a joyful heart. A joyful heart is what helps us enjoy, though at times we might not have enough or short of everything. But if we are contented and happy, every day is like a day of celebration. As believers, we have a great reason to rejoice. “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). It is not about being optimistic but having a different perspective in life because of Christ. When we know we are secured not because of the material things we have but because we have a relationship with Christ, His peace will guard our hearts. “Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Blessings,

Noel De Guzman

www.my-wbc.com