I am not a naturally cheerful person and at one point in time I began to meditate on two verses that I thought would help me remember the value of a cheerful heart. Both verses underscore a positive attitude as being a blessing in life, but I have found that the greatest lesson for me comes from the contrasting negative attitudes.
One verse is Proverbs 15:15, which says, “All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.” I am convinced that whether my days are spent in affliction or in feasting is a result of the way I choose to respond to life events. I have seen people respond to things that would irritate me as if they were no big deal—and in truth, they probably are not. I’ve read biographies of people who have gone through harrowing times, and chose to look to God for hope, to seek his wisdom for how they should respond. Realistically, they were afflicted, but they did not think like it or live like it. Their response kept them from living as afflicted in circumstances that were afflicting.
The other is Proverbs 17:20, “A joyful heart causes good healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” After reflecting on what causes a broken spirit, I believe it is a symptom of a loss of hope. I think a loss of hope in everyday life is likely to be the fruit of repeated disappointment—unfulfilled expectations. One way I experience such disappointment is when I fail to be realistic. I am a sinner living among sinners; why should I expect life without irritations, broken promises, conflicts, or unfulfilled expectations, some of which are my own fault? The only things I can truly count on are God’s promises—and even there I need to be careful to not build expectations in my mind about when or how God will fulfill those promises. He is the only one who knows the end from the beginning and it is wise to trust his love and his knowledge when I am faced with disappointment. I do not want negative life circumstances to leave me with a broken spirit. I want to see God’s love, mercy, and grace instead.
I have come to the conclusion that my response to life’s pressures is directly related to the level of trust I have in God. The assurance of God’s love helps me to believe God is using for good that which I find hard or unpleasant. As he has increased my understanding of his personal care for me, I find I have a greater willingness to accept life as it is, instead of complaining about it, and to seek God’s wisdom for how I should respond to that reality.