Joy Is Good Medicine

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

Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

I want to ask you some questions. Are you a child of God? Is the great God of the universe your heavenly Father? Does he love you with an unfailing love? Has he forgiven your sins and washed you white as snow? Is he faithful to his promises? Do you believe that he will never leave you or forsake you? Is God your fortress and strength? Do you believe that your name is written in the Book of Life? When you woke up this morning, did you remember that in your Father’s house are many mansions, and Jesus left to prepare a place for you? Did you remember that Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NKJV)?

No matter what circumstance we are facing today, we have every good reason in the world to be of good cheer!

George Müller was best known as the “Father of Orphans.” Meeting the needs of thousands of children taught him to look to God and God alone for all their needs. Despite all of this responsibility, it’s said he had the cheerful countenance of a child himself. This is what he said was his secret: “The Lord taught me that the first business I needed to attend to every day was to have my spirit happy in the Lord, to nourish my inner man.” This he did by starting his day in God’s Word: reading, stopping to pray, and then reading more until all of the weight rested on God’s broad shoulders, not his.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Is the weight of your world resting on your shoulders today? Do you feel crushed and dry? This is not good. I’ll venture to say you don’t have any joy. Did you forget that the joy of the Lord is your strength?

On May 26, I taught you how to do the “divine shift.” Put your palms out and picture your burdens in your hands. Now lift those burdens up and off your shoulders and onto the broad shoulders of the Lord. Breathe in deeply. Breathe out. Now let his joy flow into you like good medicine.

One Year Bible Reading

2 Kings 3:1–4:17; Acts 14:8-28; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 17:22