Prescription for a Cheerful Heart

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

—Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

How can a cheerful heart be good medicine? Usually when we think of medicine, we envision a plastic bottle of pills prescribed by a trusted physician. We put our faith in the physician who prescribed the pills, and we hope we will be cured of whatever illness or disease from which we suffer.

However, the good medicine that comes from a cheerful heart must be prescribed by the great physician—Jesus Christ! He offers us unconditional love that allows us to have cheerful hearts rather than crushed spirits. Once we have the love of Jesus in our hearts, we will be cheerful. We will have a positive outlook on life. We will smile more often than we frown. We will laugh more often than we cry.

Unfortunately, we are still going to suffer from sicknesses, cancers, and broken bones—these are all part of our temporary lives on earth, and I am by no means suggesting that a person’s positive attitude could stop profuse bleeding, prevent children from getting sick, or heal broken bones. Go to the hospital, get your children vaccinated, and see a doctor in all of these cases! Furthermore, I believe that we must follow the advice of health care professionals, who encourage us to eat healthy foods, exercise daily, and enjoy adequate sleep. If we do these things, we may have healthy hearts.

However, we must remember that it is our spiritual hearts that define who we truly are, and it is our spiritual hearts that are eternal—not our physical hearts. Therefore, once we have given our lives to Jesus Christ and we have received His saving grace, we can have cheerful hearts. Our prescription of love’s saving grace has healed us! To further illustrate, I will use an example of a Christian woman I knew who had major health issues. When I would ask her how she was feeling, she would always reply, “I am blessed!” She is now in heaven, and she will be blessed forever, but the point is that she had a cheerful heart; and even though she was in physical pain each day, she knew that it would not last forever—she knew her spiritual heart would last forever. All of us know people like this woman; these wonderful Christians are proof of God’s love, which can heal us.

We need medicine to maintain good health; however, we know this medicine can only treat our physical bodies. Furthermore, we know that we should strive to be healthy! I remember being so happy after getting good results from a health checkup. The report stated that my physical heart was younger than my actual age. I thought this was remarkable. Did it mean I would live forever? Of course not. The only report that really matters is the one stating the condition of my spiritual heart. Will it say that I have been saved by God’s amazing grace? Will it say that I have lived a Christian life? I want it to, so I am reading my Bible, praying at all times, and praising God!

A glad heart makes a cheerful face; but an aching heart breaks the spirit.

—Proverbs 15:13 (WEB)

Aim for perfection; do not settle for mediocrity.

How can aiming for perfection make us happy? Just thinking of the word perfect makes us smile! Parents are happy to hold their perfect little babies. Students are proud to earn perfect grade-point averages. Sports teams are elated to attain perfect seasons.

Achieving perfection is never easy! Think of a student who is committed to maintaining a perfect grade-point average. With a strong determination, this is possible; however, it is not easy, but the rewards are significant. When our daughters graduated as valedictorians of their high school classes, we were very proud of them. They had perfect grade-point averages. Then when they graduated from college with high honors with doctorates in physical therapy, we were elated! When students are aiming for perfection, they must attend classes, ask their teachers for assistance, and read their assignments.

As Christians, we must do the same. We must attend church, ask God to help us, and read our Bibles. We are given these instructions: “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor. 13:11 WEB). We are all imperfect people when God saves us by His grace. When this happens, we are filled with tremendous joy. By the grace of God, we are empowered to aim for perfection in living Christian lives. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:11 that we must love each other and live in peace with each other. Unlike a student who can earn a perfect grade-point average with minimal assistance from others, we cannot aim for perfection without God’s grace. We must remember that the God of love and peace is with us; His perfection guides our lives.

Aiming for perfection is hard work, and we will definitely be tested, tried, and tempted. “My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith develops patience. But let patience perfect its work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2–4 MEV).

Remember that we are aiming for perfection; we are not perfect. We were not perfect when we accepted Christ, but by the grace of God, we are continuously improving. Christian author C. S. Lewis states in Mere Christianity that Christians who put themselves in God’s hands will become perfect in “love, wisdom, joy, beauty, and immortality.”1 However, our perfection will not be completed in our lifetimes.

Aiming requires focus, and our focus needs to be on Jesus and not on ourselves. Imagine aiming at a target. What should be at the center of our target? Jesus! If we put ourselves at the center of the target, we are not aiming for perfection because none of us can be perfect in God’s eyes without Christ at the center of our lives.

Praise God that we have a perfect example to follow—Jesus Christ! Many times throughout history, various leaders have emerged who were initially admired for their seemingly spotless reputations. Then the skeletons in their closets surfaced, which revealed the true nature of these leaders. We do not need to worry about finding any skeletons in Christ’s closet. He is perfect.