I had a few errands to run last Monday. One was to return a library book and pick up two new ones. As I was walking out of the library with my books, I met a lovely lady coming in. She was probably in her 50’s, and she was almost skipping. As she drew close, she smiled and said, “I am so blessed. God is so good to me!”
I smiled back and said, “Yes, He is good to us. He loves us.”
To which, she replied, “He does love us.” Then she laughed and said, “and most of the time all we do is get in His way!”
She waved and turned back, continuing her joy-filled skip into the library. I smiled and turned towards my car; my heart surprisingly more lighthearted than when I went in. As I got in my car, I remembered a verse that I used to include with my signature on my work emails. It’s a verse I’ve tried to incorporate in every part of my life. (When I retired from St. Luke’s, a friend had this verse inscribed on a beautiful silver bookmark, which I cherish.)
“A merry heart does good, like medicine.” There is also a second half to that verse, “but a broken spirit dries the bones.” [Prov 17:22 NKJV]
Throughout life I have found that if we keep our hearts joyful before Him, we are healthy, even if our bodies are not. Joy in the LORD gives us the ability to handle what comes our way, whether good or difficult. But if we allow the struggles of life to drive out the joy, we will be unhealthy, even if our bodies are fit.
When joy disappears, the enemy of our soul builds a stronghold in our life of negativism and dryness. The opposite of the Joy of the LORD is not sadness, it is weakness and defeat.
