Let's Put the Fun Back in Dysfunctional
by Marsha Iddings
Proverbs
This past week I saw this verse in a new light. I had always thought of it as saying the days of those who have afflictions and sufferings are always evil because of what they must endure. They have no control over how their days go because of these things. I never paid much attention to the second part of the verse. It says he that is of a merry heart has a continual feast. A merry heart is something a person has control over. They can choose to be happy and cheerful. It's something you have to work at, but you can achieve a merry heart.
I began to realize that this proverb is simply stating the same thought two different ways. It's speaking of the person's attitude toward life in both statements. The person who is always afflicted is the one who sees everything in life in a negative light. Nothing ever goes their way. This verse isn't talking about the person who has sufferings and physical afflictions, although this person may very well have them. It's the one who is always complaining. He/she has a poor me attitude. All of this person's days are evil because nothing ever goes right for them.
On the other hand, the person who makes a merry heart his choice of attitude, will look on the bright side of things, trying to find the good even in bad circumstances. They have a continual feast of good things because they make it a point to find the good in all the circumstances of life.
What a challenge this is! Complaining about my circumstances is bemoaning how evil my days are...poor me. It takes work to find the positive side to things, but having a merry heart is do-able and it makes life so much more fun! It takes way fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown. Let's put the fun back in dysfunctional!
Dear Father, I have been convicted by the fact that I often fall into the category of the afflicted. Help me to rise above this and put on a merry face and heart so I can reflect You better to others. In Jesus' Name, Amen
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http://geocities.com/pugmoose/Marsha.html
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