A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22

I was on a plane one day when this scripture came to my mind and I started meditating on it both as an encouragement knowing the value of good medicine, but also as a challenge thinking of how to maintain a merry heart when there are so many things trying to affect the condition of your heart.  Proverbs 4: 23 says we should keep and guard our heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. So, as I thought about this some more, I realised that there are some things we can do to maintain a merry heart.

A merry heart is maintained when we stay in the word of God, believing it and doing it. The word will keep our heart happy and joyful for it will fill us with hope and faith, a firm belief that God will turn every situation in our life around for His and our good.

A merry heart is maintained by trusting that God is in complete control of everything and everyone in our life. A merry heart is also maintained by learning to rest, relax and laugh. Some of us have forgotten how to laugh and we all need to laugh much more knowing that the bible says that even our God who sits and rules in heaven laughs (Psalm 2:4). God laughs because He is always victorious, and we also can laugh knowing that we are victorious in all things through Christ Jesus. I love the declaration of Sarah following the birth of Isaac, when she says in Genesis 21:6, “God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me”. I believe that as you learn to laugh more because of God in you, all who hear you will laugh with you in Jesus Name. So, let’s start laughing by faith in the victory we have through Christ Jesus.

You see, the condition of your heart is as important spiritually as it is naturally. A merry heart is likened to good medicine that heals and makes well. One translation says, “a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength (New Living Translation).” It is so true because when a person’s spirit is broken, they feel weak and incapable of doing anything. But you can change that, you can change the condition of your heart by starting to laugh victoriously and in faith in any situation you find yourself in because of the promise of the word of God that will come to pass as it did for Sarah. I encourage you to find God’s promise to you in your situation, believe it and you can laugh all the way to the bank because it will certainly come through for you just as He promised you in His word.

A merry heart is a joyful heart and the bible says that the joy of the Lord is your strength. So as you rejoice in the Lord, laughing victoriously because of the word of God in your heart, strength will come to you from God. This kind of overcoming strength is what you and I need in our lives today, so lets start laughing in the Lord and His word once again.

“But look, God will not reject a person of integrity, nor will he lend a hand to the wicked. He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” Job 8:20,21