The Healing Nature of Happiness

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

— Proverbs 17:22

We have all known someone who has suffered a broken heart. Most of us have felt the sting caused by the actions of another. Friends betray. Spouses leave. Children make bad decisions. Loved ones move away. Such heartache can feel all-consuming, as if happiness will never return.

But one of the most reassuring tenets of our faith is that God understands each moment of our sorrow. He stands with us. Most of all, He will see us through the heartache. Romans 8:28 promises that He can even turn it to good.

God wants us to be happy. He truly does, and Scripture is filled with His instructions on how to be content and happy in our lives. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are rife with verses about the benefit of a cheerful heart and how important it is to encourage others. In the New Testament, Paul instructed Christ followers to be kind to one another, lifting each other up (Galatians 6:2; Ephesians 4:32).

Tough times will always be part of life. Grief comes to us all, sooner or later. But God never leaves us, and He will walk with us through it. Often He uses the encouraging words of friends to help us find a path to that joyful heart once again.

Today’s One Thing

Offer an uplifting word of encouragement to someone you know is going through a difficult time.

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