A SMILE OPENS THE DOOR FOR HEALING

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”—Proverbs 17:22

Laughter is a medicine for the soul, but sometimes, amid the stresses of the day, we forget to take our medicine.  Instead of viewing our world with the lens of optimism and hope, we allow worries and distractions to rob us of the joy that God intends for our lives.

Sometimes our hearts become heavy with the difficulties of life, and our countenance falls.  Our composure wavers and the heaviness of the difficulty is evident in our outward expressions.  We may react to situations that normally would not bother us emotionally with outbursts such as, anger, tears, fear, or hysterical laughter. 

Although David encountered many distressing situations in his life, he was able to bless God in the midst of the difficulties, and by doing so, was able to bring peace to his soul. “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within Me? Hope in God for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.  O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—A prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:5-8).

During a particularly difficult time in my life, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to begin to smile at people.  I really did not “feel” like smiling at anything or anybody.  However, the next time I encounter someone I made myself smile at them.  I remember how heavy my heart was as I smiled at the elderly woman at the grocery store.  When she smiled back at me, my difficulty had not changed; but, I noticed that my countenance began to change over the following days that I made a point of smiling at people.  It was not long before I even was able to smile from my heart.  I had indeed discovered the truth of Proverbs 15:13 “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”

As you go about your daily activities, approach life with a smile on your lips and hope in your heart.  And laugh every chance you get. 

“Laughter dulls the sharpest pain and flattens out the greatest stress.  To share it is to give a gift of health.”—Barbara Johnson

Prayer—Father I thank you for the joy of the Lord in my life.  Help me to rejoice in You always, and to share Your joy with people, in Jesus Name. Amen.