"Heart of the Matter" word for July

I love how the Lord is working in my heart through the “Heart of the Matter” study.  It’s amazing the focus words He gives me for each month.  I need them so much!

While we were in Florida, I noticed my little Callie Grace had the sniffles.   She seemed fine and was her usual bubbly self.  The sniffles went to a runny nose and then she began to cough.  You know how it goes…the next night we had little sleep as her fever spiked to a good 103 and we were off and running with a good dose of the flu.  So, off to the doctor we went and found out she not had only a sinus infection, but double ear infections as well.  Poor baby!  I quickly filled the prescription for antibiotics and gave her Tylenol Cold & Flu to help with the pain and to help her sleep.  By the next day I noticed her feeling better and by the weekend she was bouncing around again.  The power of medicine!  

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”  Thinking back to my Callie, her medicine dulled the pain she was experiencing in her ears.  It helped her to be able to rest so that she could better fight that nasty bug. It fought her flu and won the battle!  The Bible says a heart that is merry can do the same things!  Life’s cares, a harsh word, a child not responding correctly, or simply our plans not turning out the way we wanted them to can be like an unwanted and uninvited germ entering into our body.  It slowly weakens us and before we realize it we are discouraged and down in the dumps.  It happens so swiftly that we didn’t even realize what was going on!  When this happens it’s time for some medicine for our heart!

The Merry Heart Prescription:

~Christ-Honoring Happy Music.  It’s hard to be grumpy when we have a cheerful song in our heart!  My girls and I love to sing, “I’m so happy and here’s the reason why.”  We also love “I’ve got the Joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart” and “Happy am I”.  Sing it high, sing it low, sing it opera style.  Laugh.  Have fun.  Be Merry…but realize that music does affect the spirit…just ask King Saul.  Play CD’s (or tapes) of Christ honoring music throughout the day.  It will help everyone’s spirit.

~A Cheerful Countenance.  Have you smiled lately?  Have you smiled at your children? Your spouse?  A stranger?  What about just a happy, joyful smile at yourself in the mirror as you get ready for the day? Silly, I know, but how is your countenance?  Does it say, “I’m so glad that Jesus lives in my heart!”  Psalm 21:6 says, “Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.”  That’s the power of a smile!  When you smile it spreads to your eyes, then to your heart.  It’s catching and spreading!

~Remember how good the Lord has been to us.  2Ch 7:10 says, “And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David….”  As you read this verse, make it personal.  Instead of saying David, put your name in there.  For me it would read like this, “ …glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto Kami…”  I love it!  God HAS been so good to me.  He “daily loadeth me with benefits.”  Now, that is something to be merry about!

~Relax .  Now for a busy Momma, I know you feel like you’re going 100+ miles per hour, and it seems you can’t slow down, especially to be happy!  But, we need to.  We need to have a little fun and cheer in our lives, but we can’t do that when we’re stressed to the max.  Maybe you need a little catnap when the kids go down for their nap (When you’re tired, it’s hard to be merry!) or maybe you need a tea/coffee/coke break to just sit and put your feet up.  Whatever the case, make sure you’re taking care of yourself.  It’s okay to ask your hubby to “take over” while you take a 15 minute break.

In Proverbs 17:22 the word merry is from the root word samach  which means to cheer up, make glad, make joyful, cause to rejoice.   We as Christians should be the happiest, merriest people on the earth.  We have so much to be rejoicing for!  Let’s focus on our blessings and work on having a heart that is merry!