A Joyful Heart . . . It's Good Medicine! - Insight for Living

A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22. To which I shout a hearty “Amen! ArticleLibrary ArticleLibrary Followus: Home/Resources/ArticleLibrary AJoyfulHeart...It'sGoodMedicine! June15,2009 byPastorChuckSwindoll Afewthingsinlifeareabsolutelytragic.Somearemysteriouslystrange.Many,however,arejustplainfunny. Thereisn’tadaythatpassesinwhichIfailtosee,hear,orreadsomethingthatmakesmesmile.Andbecauselaughterissucheffectivetherapy,I’mgratefulthatGoddispensesthisdivinemedicationsofrequently. Forinstance,rulesandstatutesaren’tmeanttobeamusing...butsometimestheyare.Ifindsomeofthemdownrighthilarious.Someexamples? InDanville,Pennsylvania,firehydrantsmustbecheckedonehourbeforeallfires. Oklahomalawrequiresthatdriversinvolvedinfatalaccidentsstopimmediatelyandgivetheirnamesandaddressestothosewhowerestruck. InLakefield,Ontario,legislationpermitsbirdstosingfor30minutesduringthedayand15minutesatnight. Religiousstuffcanalsogetafewchucklesoutofme.Somechurcharchitectureisout-and-outunusual—andodd!NottomentionwhathappenswhenIfindmyselfinanultrasombermeeting...IoccasionallyhavetobitemylipwhenIrealizethatasilentsmilecouldmakescandalouswaves. Furthermore,wepreachersareanincrediblyfunnylot.WhenIstudythelivesofthepulpiteersofyesteryear,Ichuckletoknowthatmanyofthemwerewild’n’crazycharacters. IalsofindahostoffunnymaterialinScripture.Manyofthescenesareacrackup!AndthatisexactlyasGodplannedit.Hewouldneverauthoracolorless,dry,orboringBook.HeistheOne,you’llrecall,wholedSolomontowrite: Ajoyfulheartisgoodmedicine,Butabrokenspiritdriesupthebones.Proverbs17:22 TowhichIshoutahearty“Amen!”havingbeenaroundmanyabrokenspiritwithdried-upbonesinmylifetime. Mypleaisnotthatwereadthecomics,watchmindlesssitcoms,ortellalotofsillyjokestoeachother.That’sexternal,superficial,andshallow.I’msuggestingthatwebecomemorelighthearted,relishinglifemoreasourconfidenceinthesovereignLordgrows.Afterall,HegaveushumortoenjoyandgenuinesmileswhenwetakepleasureinHisgift. Let’slightenupratherthansurrendertointensityandworry.Atrulycheerfulfaceradiatesfromarelaxed,joyfulheart. Afewthingsinlifeareabsolutelytragic,noquestionaboutit.ButajoylessChristian...that’sridiculous! RejoiceintheLordalways;AgainIwillsay,rejoice!Philippians4:4 TakenfromCharlesR.Swindoll,“AJoyfulHeart...It’sGoodMedicine!”Insights(March2001):1-2.Copyright©2001,CharlesR.Swindoll,Inc.Allrightsreservedworldwide. Abouttheauthor PastorChuckSwindoll PastorChuckSwindollhasdevotedhislifetotheaccurate,practicalteachingandapplicationofGod’sWord.Since1998,hehasservedastheseniorpastor-teacherofStonebriarCommunityChurchinFrisco,Texas,butChuck’slisteningaudienceextendsbeyondalocalchurchbody.AsaleadingprograminChristianbroadcastingsince1979,InsightforLivingairsaroundtheworld.Chuck’sleadershipaspresidentandnowchancellorofDallasTheologicalSeminaryhashelpedprepareandequipanewgenerationforministry. MorearticlesbyPastorChuckSwindoll Devotionals Browse TheSwindollStudyBible Browse Chuck'sBooks Browse Swindoll'sLivingInsightsBibleCommentaries Browse