A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Proverbs 17:22). In other words, “A joyful heart gives happy healing” (Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon). “A healthy attitude fosters good health but a depressed spirit ruins good health” (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary). Some medicines taste terrible, but I know they are for my good, for my healing. A merry, joyful heart never “tastes bad” and is always for my good. It’s healthy.
When I look back over this past week and consider some of the things that I have written about, events in our county and country, I need a merry heart. My greatest joy is the Lord, His Word, and the relationship of daily communion (John 15:1-11). My greatest confidence is that my God is sovereign (Psalm 103:19; Proverbs 16:1-4). But, there is also the need of some good laughter in my life!
Yesterday, I had a sudden bout of vertigo, and I took my medicine. Of course, it made me a bit loopy. I was trying to tell my wife about something in the nearby town of Jonesborough, and the way I pronounced the town’s name proved my loopiness! Well, all of sudden my wife was bent over laughing so hard she was crying. When I replayed what I said in my own mind, I started laughing. In midst of our continual state of silliness, the thought came to my mind, “I needed that!”
God created laughter. Ecclesiastes 3:4 reminds us, there is “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” So since there is a time for laughter, how about havin’ at it! It will do you good. Besides, my God has the world and you under control; why worry and fret. Relax. Allow your theology to affect your funny bone. Take your medicine.
To perhaps get you started, here’s a couple of links of “medicine” that will do you good:
Barney Fife The Preamble To The Constitution
Proverbs 15:13, 15 – A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
From A Pastor's Heart 