Proverbs
15:15b “. . . the cheerful heart has a continual feast.” NIV
Proverbs
17:22 “A merry heart does good, like medicine . . .” NKJV
What’s
the difference between cheerful and merry heart? Really almost no difference
except that merry has good sense of humor comes from disposition of a mind
while being cheerful is more like a good spirits. I was just pondering those
meanings.
Merry=
full of good humor and good spirits like Merry Christmas!
Cheerful=
full of good spirits 2. Pleasantly bright like “a sunny cheerful room”
You
might ask what start all this? Well, while I was at the desk, I noticed my
different translation Bibles were piled up.
So I reorganized the piles and noticed the Character devotional book was
hidden at the bottom. I just felt like to open the Character Devotional book on
page 98 and read the above verse of NIV, the cheerful heart . . .
Then
it asked questions: What is your attitude today? Are you fearful, angry, bored,
or worried? Perplexed (confused)? Frown? (Some places, I summarized to
my language instead)
To me it was a strange question to ask myself, what is my attitude today? In
another words, what am I like? Huh? Then
it says: “If so, God wants to have a little talk with you.”
I
thought, “oh, oh. God wants to talk to me through this devotion.” I read on to
what it says: “God created you in His own image and He wants you to experience
joy, contentment, peace and abundance. God has given you free will, including
the ability to influence the direction and the tone of your thoughts.”
I
was thinking of Tony and what his attitude was. He often has a sense of humor
and laughed a lot.” I have seen him teased the interpreters and they laughed with
Tony and his face just glow with joy. Tony has a “cheerful disposition.” I am a
serious person.
Then
I read on to what it says, “Here’s how God wants you to direct those
thoughts.” Philippians 4:8 in NIV. “Finally,
my brothers and sisters, whatever is true . . . noble . . . right . . . pure .
. . lovely . . . admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about
such things.”
Charles
Kingsley quotes, “The people I have seen succeed best in life have always been
cheerful and hopeful people who went about their business with a smile on their
faces.”
Lord,
I thank You for showing me this devotion and that You have spoken to my heart.
Now I am asking You, Father for help to turn my thoughts to those verse, Philippians
4:8 and to experience four things: Joy, contentment, peace and abundance. Help
me to share my faith and my hope with others through Manna. In Jesus’ name, I
pray. Amen!
May
the Lord richly bless you!
Dorothy
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