daily devotional

A Joyful Heart

Read Psalm 4:7

We need to lighten up! 

Yes, spirituality and fun do go well together. Scripture speaks directly to this issue, you know: "A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad the spirit is broken" (Proverbs 15:13). 

We're not talking about a person's face here as much as we are about the heart. 

Internal joy goes public. We can't hide it. The face takes its cue from an inside signal.

A well-developed sense of humour reveals a well-balanced personality.... The ability to get a laugh out of everyday situations is a safety valve. It rids us of tensions and worries that could otherwise damage our health.

You think I'm exaggerating the benefits? If so, maybe you've forgotten another proverb: "A joyful heart is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22). 

What is it that brings healing to emotions, healing to the soul? A joyful heart!

Excerpted from Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom for the Way (Nashville: J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2001). Copyright © 2001 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.