These three things will keep your heart happy
Do you ever feel like you are in a situation where it is impossible to be happy?
You wake up with some situation on your mind, and it lingers at the end of the day.
It’s time to break out of that cycle. Your heart may need healing from a hurt you recently faced.
Perhaps you feel dry and empty after wrestling with a problem for so long.
It’s time to get up and GET HAPPY AGAIN.
USE THESE THREE VERSES TO BUILD UP YOUR HAPPINESS AGAIN!
1. “GOOD NEWS”
“The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and GOOD NEWS refreshes the bones” Prov. 15: 30)
I try to start and end my day thinking about the “good news.”
Before I allow myself to see anything that is potentially “bad news” (emails, texts, websites, etc.), I try to read my daily Bible reading plan (the “McCheyne Reading Plan”).
Also, 30 minutes before bedtime, I turn off Internet-based work and focus on faith-building Scriptures. I meditate on them, speak them out loud, and declare them over my life.
Good news.
This practice helps me not to dream about bad news or situations. Often, I awaken in the night with one of those bedtime Scriptures in my mind.
My heart stays happy.
2. GRACIOUS WORDS
“GRACIOUS WORDS are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body” (Prov. 16: 24).
The second thing I do to restore my emotional wellness is to focus on the words I use.
Paul said our words should “give grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4: 29).
“Words of grace” edify, build up, minister to others. They don’t tear down, detract, and hurt others.
You can minister "words of grace" to everyone, from the grocery clerk to your children. Your heart will stay happy and uplifted.
If you allow anger, profanity, demeaning, and critical words to flow out of your mouth constantly, your heart will become depressed and inward.
“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul…” Sweeten up those words, and be kind, civil, courteous, and patient with how you speak to others.
3. GLAD HEART
“A GLAD HEART promotes health; but the bones of a sorrowful man dry up” (Prov. 17: 22)
Some translations say, “merry, joyful, cheerful, happy heart.”
You laugh a lot.
A friend of mine was in the hospital for many months, teetering at the point of death. He always maintained his sense of joy. He told his son one day, “I don’t care to know WHEN I am going to die but WHERE I am going to die.” His son said, “Why is that?” He replied, “Because I never want to go there!”
He is out of the hospital and still playing golf today!
Keep your joy.
Find something to joke about. Smile at others who are depressed, downcast, and gloom and doom.
Your own heart will be healed.
Good news, gracious words, glad heart
Work on it this week. See if your attitude doesn’t recover!