THE POWER OF A JOYFUL LIFE Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:22,23; 1 Peter 4:13,14 Many things we do not understand happen to us in life. Negative things that happen to us usually bring along with them sorrow, sadness, grief and loss of joy. Christ, in this message, teaches us not only how to approach life but also what we are to do when negative things happen to us. This is because He knows the constitution of man: that the manifestation of negative emotions – grief, sadness, sorrow, worry, anxiety, fear, anger, hatred, malice – will break down man’s system. But when positive emotions of joy, gladness and happiness are vent, they will build it up. There is power in joyfulness. It is a mental diet that helps our emotions and strengthens the mind. A negative, depressive attitude destroys while a joyful attitude renews life. Christ then prescribes that the right attitude during persecution is to “rejoice, and be exceeding glad ” because the purpose of the enemy is to, with the persecution, make us sink low and be so unhappy, dejected, discouraged, depressed, and consequently be sick. But Jesus wants us to be joyful and healthy. We are neither to sit down in discouragement and mourn nor beat a retreat because we suffer persecution; we are to “rejoice …and leap for joy”. In anything that happens, there is always a positive side to it. Joy strengthens our minds. A strong mind builds a strong body; a peaceful mind builds a calm body. Joy assists our faith, hope and love. A person of negative disposition, a moody person is capable of spreading sorrow around him. Sorrow of heart depresses, and causes despair and disease (Nehemiah 2:2). If the heart is sorrowful, the countenance will be sad and it brings weakness to the body. It is the inner man that gives the body either strength or weakness. Sadness or depression is the negative effect of the mind on the body. It is an internal problem that is oozing out of sad people. The internal condition then depreciates, destroys and makes a person to have disease on the external body. But perpetual joy in our spirits and souls, as Christians, will keep us ahead of our persecutors and on top of our entire problem in the path of progress and in the enjoyment of good health, strength and power.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:34:07 +0000