A CHEERFUL HEART

As you ride into Cruso a sign promotes the number of nice people who live there—and one old grouch. I don’t want to be known for wearing a scowl and speaking with a sneer—do you? Here is what Paul said:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

A cheerful heart is revealed by CELEBRATION, (v. 4-5). When you understand Paul’s circumstances it seems strange to hear his call for celebration. He was in a prison. Things may be hard in your life right now. “I don’t deserve this,” you might say. That’s true. What we deserve is hell! We are sinners who ought to be condemned, yet we can celebrate that God sent His Son to save us. The Apostle reminds us, “The Lord is at hand.”  We can find comfort that we are never alone and never forsaken. We can find consolation that Jesus is coming and He will fix everything and right every wrong. We can be gentle with all people—even those who mistreat us for we know that the Lord is going to bring justice when He returns. So, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

A cheerful heart is rooted in COMPREHENSION, (v. 6-7). Comprehending that the ultimate reality is not what we see around us, but what God is doing in and for us leads us to three responses with one amazing result.

First, WORRY ABOUT NOTHING, “Be anxious about nothing.” Worry is not just a weakness but a wickedness. It shows we do not trust our Father—that we are walking by faith and not by sight. Jesus said that God feeds the fowls of the air and dresses the flowers of the field. If He does that, how much more will He care for His children that He loves!

Second, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING, “but in everything by prayer and supplication…let your requests be made known to God.” I think of the old hymn: “Oh what peace we often forfeit; Oh what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

Third, BE THANKFUL FOR ANYTHING, “with thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving is not meant to be a once in a year occasion, but a daily intention. The result of doing these three things is “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” ( v. 7).

A cheerful heart is reinforced by CONCENTRATION, (v. 8-9). If you allow negative thoughts to dominate your mind then you will become a negative person. Paul says to look for and meditate on these positive things. Depression is a real deal and it can be debilitating. We go into a dark cave in our minds haunted by past failings, present problems, and prospective perils. We sit and sulk and sour. The answer?  Get up and do something positive whether you feel like it or not (v. 9). Then, the God of peace will be with you. This is the way to overcome the darkness of depression.

We have heard children sing, “If you’re happy and you know it then your face will surely show it!” Are you happy in Jesus? Then inform your face!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Dennis Thurman, Mission Strategist