Continual Cheerful Feastful Heart

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭15‬

“All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A wonderful life is a choice, choosing to have a contented and joyful heart. Attitude is far more important than circumstances. Some can be happy in poverty, while others are miserable in prosperity. An evil life filled with trouble, pain, and misery is also a choice. Negative and discontented people choose to let circumstances or foolish feelings destroy their lives. Positive and contented people have a party most every day.

Shakespeare wrote that life “is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. I think Shakespeare might of had it wrong just a little. Life is not so much told by an idiot as it is all about idiots, and I am not the least of them. Idiots, not all of whom are in Washington, lack the creativity to make up such a tale as a life is, any life, including mine.

Here is the point. Only God could take the whole mad, random mess and weave it all together into a lovely quilt. In my life, for example, though I am not sure of what is an example, there has been plenty of sound and fury, far too much of both. Of sadness, my own and the sadnesses I have caused, there has been no lack. There is no secret of my battle, with dark depression. The thing that kept me sane, at least as sane as I have been, is that I never took myself very seriously.

Despite the moments of pain and the seasons of grief, both of which I have experienced, I have also had more than my share of laughter. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good like a medicine.” I determined early on to take my medicine like a big boy.

A merry heart may come more naturally to some than others. Circumstances may make for more or less merriment, to be sure, but the bottom line is we can choose to be merry. If there is one thing that can make our senior years better and healthier, it is the sweet, sweet medicine of laughter. My advice to as we age is simple: Laugh lots.

We catch a merry heart when we get a glimpse of God’s grace extended to us on the cross of Calvary. When we are right with Him, it is far easier to see the good happening around us, and to hope in His future blessings on us.

When we are struggling in our relationship with Him, because of sin, it is very difficult to see anything but our problems, and we have no hope that they will be any different in the future. The answer is of course to repent and restore our relationship with Him, which will also restore our merry heart.

There will be times, even when we are right with God, that our lives will be difficult. But we can still have a merry heart, because we can choose our daily attitude, even when we cannot choose our circumstances. We can choose to be thankful and praise God in all things, even when difficulties seem to be crowding us in. We can remember that He is good and that He has promised to walk with us through our struggles.

For the few who know the riches of Jesus Christ, they have a continual feast in this life that will extend uninterrupted into eternal glory and the marriage supper of the Lamb. The water at His banquet quenches thirst forever; the bread provides eternal life; His blood is everlasting soul nourishment. Seek Him today, reader, and do not stop until you find Him!!!

Father thank You and we do take You, what You have done for us, and what You have given by Your grace in salvation, very seriously. But help us to laugh at ourselves a little and see eternity with You in everything we do this day.” Lord help us claim the promise in Your Word that says, “one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.” We pray that You would fill us with Your  joy and peace, and help us to maintain a cheerful heart even in the midst of difficult circumstances. May we always remember that You  are with us, and that Your love and grace are sufficient for us. Lord thank You for the continual feast that You provide for those who trust in You. Be a blessing. Love ya

Father, we love You. Amen