A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
(Prov. 17:22, NLT)

Isn’t it fun to be around happy people? I can honestly say that my wife Beth is one of the happiest people I know. Her joy and upbeat spirit has helped our whole family stay happy and healthy all these years. God reminds us in today’s text that a cheerful, glad and happy heart actually serves as medicine to us; spirit, soul and body.

Here’s an exercise for you. Go look at your face in a mirror. What do you see? Is it happy, is it sad, is there a smile or is there a frown? Because what you see on the outside shows what is happening on the inside:

A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.
(Prov. 15:13 NLT)

In other words, we can’t hide what’s on the inside because it will always show up on our faces. So, if you don’t like what you see on the outside, then it’s time to change what’s happening on the inside. It’s time to get happy, to laugh, and enjoy your life again. Maybe something upsetting happened to you or someone has broken your heart, but the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus heals the brokenhearted:

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
(Ps. 147:3 NLT)

Maybe you’ve just gotten in the habit of being down. Well. get up and change your perspective. The Lord reminds us that we are likely to find what we’re looking for:

For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.
(Prov. 15:15)

When you’re down everything looks down and can look overwhelming, so you have to get up and change your outlook.

I remember the chorus of an old song by the Carter family that went like this:


So when life tries to pull you down, look up to Jesus, put a smile on your face, and keep on the sunny side of life. It will do you good, spirit, soul and body.

Say It: Father, I’m choosing today to be happy. Happy that my sins are forgiven, I have eternal life, and my best days are before me. I am going to keep on the sunny side of life! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!