HEALING WORDS AND A MERRY HEART
PROVERBS 15:4, 15 NKJV
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
There is a connection, a correlation, in these verses that can help us.
Verse 15 talks of having a continual feast or evil bad days. This is more of a heart and emotional position than what is taking place physically.
If our perspective is negative, oppressed, and we carry a victim mentality, our days will be constantly difficult. With this type of inner condition, it becomes a filter that lets in the bad and weeds out of good.
But someone who has a merry heart. One who is happy on the inside, someone with joy. To this person, life is good, one big party.
Now, this does not mean that nothing bad ever happens to a person with a merry heart. But a merry heart is a strong heart and able to bounce back from trouble.
Then the question becomes how do we develop a merry heart? Verse four gives us some insight.
A big part of our "heart condition," our inner health, is found right under our noses. Literally, our mouth plays a major role in our hearts.
A wholesome tongue can also be translated as a healing tongue. A tongue or our words can bring healing to our hearts. Or our tongue can break us down. A tongue that speaks perverseness breaks the spirit.
The word perverse means to deviate from what is moral, right, or good. God's word is the highest form of what is moral, right, and good. So, when we speak words that deviate from God's word, it hurts our hearts.
Speaking words that agree with God will heal and strengthen our hearts. God's word can help us develop a merry heart. And to a merry heart everyday holds something good!
APPLICATION:
Never underestimate the power of our words. Words can bring healing or break our spirit.
The stronger we are on the inside, the better we handle life on the outside.
God's words are the best words we can speak about ourselves, our loved ones, and what is in our realm of influence.
So, speak healing, life-giving words. And become someone with a merry heart.