There are some verses in the Bible that are just ours … they have proven precious and meaningful in our Christian Walk. I cling to six. Luke 17:10 reminds me that I serve God, that God does not serve me. Colossians 3:17 teaches me that I am to do everything in this life as if I was serving Jesus directly.
But if there is a Scripture that has governed my life more than any other, it is Proverbs 17:22. “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.” [Proverbs 17:22 NKJV]
I try to face every opportunity, every difficulty, every circumstance with “a merry heart.” I believe that when Christians face trials and tribulations with “a merry heart,” we minister “good, like medicine,” not just to ourselves but also to the world.
Life is full of challenges. Sometimes we breeze along with nary a concern, but there are times in life when concerns weigh us down. As I look back on my 78 years, I can see those times when life was not easy.
I can also see how humor, laughter, the deep-set Joy of the LORD allowed me to not just survive those hard times, but to thrive beyond them. “A merry heart” truly “does good like a medicine.”
