Just What the Doctor Ordered

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

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The story is told of a lady who had been bitten by a rabid raccoon. Her doctor examined her and told her that she had rabies from the bite. Immediately, she took a pad of paper and a pen out of her purse and started writing out a list of things. Her doctor asked her if she was writing out her will and last testament. She replied, “No, I am writing out the names of all the people I plan to bite when I leave your office.” How do the people who know you best describe your disposition? Are you happy person or a person living with unresolved hurts? Are you a joyful person or a person who refuses to recover from a tragedy? Our passage this morning gives us a principle about our spirit.

There is the explanation.

We see two extremes. The first is that of a merry or happy spirit. It is a scientific and medical fact that happiness and laughter release good chemicals within our bodies. Happiness and laughter release stress, keep our blood pressure regulated, and give a positive outlook to things. We are upbeat and motivated when we have a merry heart. A merry heart is just what the doctor ordered! On the other hand, a broken spirit is one where there is despair, sadness, remorse, and even depression. A broken spirit drieth the bones. It takes the life literally out of you. It lives under a dark cloud. It is unhappy and negative. It does not see life at the end of the tunnel. It withers up the spirit of a person, causes sleeplessness, and leads to loss of appetite. The broken spirit languishes by withdrawing and refusing support or encouragement from others. The broken spirit leads to an early death.

There is the expression.

We see two expressions. A merry heart is like a magnet to those around it. It is infectious and easily contagious. It is a catalyst for good. On the other hand a broken spirit brings a funeral type mood into a room. Others would rather shun a broken spirit. Others feel the drain from a broken spirit. We live are lives being glad or sad, happy or hurt, better or bitter, rejoicing or rejecting. We express on the outside what we are on the inside. The broken spirit indicates that God is not in control. It is not drawing upon the Lord for comfort and strength. It is a spirit that is dying a slow and horrible death. The merry heart sees the sunshine and not the dark clouds. It takes advantage of the daylight and maximizes bringing cheer to others. Which of these two do you express? Which of these two controls who you are?

There is the expectation.

All of us will experience a merry heart and a broken spirit. The question we face is which one do we choose to live in? The doctor will advise us to choose the merry heart. It does well like a medicine. We do not need prescribed medications to get us out of our blues and negative mood. We need to decide to delight ourselves in the Lord. We must live in the acceptance that Jesus is the joy of living. Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men.” The joy of the Lord is your strength. Determine to walk in the Spirit so that the fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life. As a Christian, we are expected to live with a merry heart!

Don’t let a bad day steal your joy in the Lord. Take a tablespoon of a merry heart, and let the Lord enable you to have a life that is abundant!

Have a happy God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: John 3-4

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