Read: 2 Kings 3:1-4:17 & Acts 14:8-28 & Psalm 140:1-13 & Proverbs 17:22
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).
Have you ever met someone who was crushed in spirit? That phrase reminds me of the curmudgeon at the beginning of Up. After the excruciating death of his wife, he stops living. He hides away in his house, whittling away his days until he can no longer escape the changing world around him.
Like the old man in the movie, we will all be disappointed by something. In fact, everything in this world will eventually disappoint us. No job, relationship or amount of money will be enough to fulfill us forever. Stopping there, it seems that a crushed spirit is inevitable. But through Jesus, there is hope.
Our hearts will only ever be satisfied by God’s perfect, selfless love. Knowing we could never experience that love while sin was separating us, God sent Jesus to earth to pay for our sin and created a way for us to enjoy relationship with Him.
It’s through knowing Jesus and experiencing the love of God, that we discover lasting fulfillment, joy and peace. God’s love is perfect. He is all-powerful, all-knowing and always has our best in mind. He never leaves us or abandons us. Would you approach the day differently knowing you were loved that way?
When we understand God’s character and trust Him with our lives, we find that we can experience joy and thanksgiving even in the toughest of times. Our circumstances may not get easier, but our response to those circumstances is marked by the inner joy that comes from knowing Jesus. Like good medicine, it heals the soul.
