A Merry Heart
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 15:13–15
“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.”
A Merry Heart
When you meet or know someone who is full of cheerfulness, it brings a smile to your face and joy to your environment.
When you are around someone who is in perpetual sorrow, you see that their spirit is broken and they spread that depression to others. I pray today, in the name of Jesus, that God will give to us an appreciation for the need to have a merry heart, so that our countenance will be cheerful.
The Bible says that he who has a merry heart “hath a continual feast,” Proverbs 15:15. In these days of diet, exercise, and weight loss where the problem really is not what to eat but what not to eat, this Bible passage may seem like it is not relevant. But to have a “continual feast” does not only mean physical food, but spiritual food as well. When your heart is joyful, when you have a merry heart, when you have cheerfulness, you have what is called serene joyfulness. Not just excitement, but serene joyfulness. That is what you call a flourishing person. I pray that God will cause us all to flourish in Jesus’ name. May God give us the grace to flourish and have that serene joyfulness, so that we will be called cheerful people. There was a time when Christians were called happy people. Now there is so much sorrow that it is tough to tell if someone is a Christian or not. I pray that the words of God, “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” John 16:33, become true in our generation.
When you have a merry heart, you will have a cheerful countenance, and you will be cheerful because of the Lord’s goodness to you. Yes, you are alive, you can read, and you can eat. You can take in the Word of God. You can read about hope and believe in God. There is a lot for which we can be thankful. Count your blessings and name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. When you have cheerfulness, then you will have confidence. A happy person is a confident person. I pray in the name of Jesus that God will give you the grace to value cheerfulness.
Beloved, the Word of God says that we should manifest cheerfulness even in our giving. When somebody is giving something to you with pain in their countenance, you hesitate to take it. Some parents give money to their children grudgingly, and their children complain that it is almost painful to approach their parents. I pray that we will practice cheerful giving, not only outside but also inside our families. The Word of God states clearly that the Lord loves a cheerful giver, 2 Corinthians 9:7. If you want God to be happy with you as you give to Him, then give cheerfully.
Cheerfulness also comes from being in the Lord’s Presence. When the Lord is there, there is a joy that no one else can understand. Cheerfulness comes when you have victory. “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” John 16:33. That is victory indeed. If the world is depressing you today, the Lord is saying to be of good cheer because He has overcome it. Do you think He does not care about you? It is for that reason that you are hearing this message of cheerfulness today. I pray a serene joyfulness into your life. I pray that God will give you such cheerfulness that it will transmit into the way you interact with people around you. I pray that the joy of the Lord will be your strength. I pray that the joy of the Lord will manifest in every area of your life and as you give cheerfully, you will begin to blossom and flourish. Walk in cheerfulness so that the blessing can burst forth in your life. Be of good cheer for He has overcome the world.
Prayer Points:
Are you reading this and realize that you have not at any time given your life to Jesus? You cannot have serene joyfulness and flourish without Jesus Christ in your life. So pray with me and say, “Dear Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you. Write my name in the book of life and give me the grace to flourish in Jesus’ name.” Amen.
