Monday, June 15, 2009

A Merry Heart in the Day of Affliction

Proverbs 15:15 KJV
All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

I came to see this passage not as two contrasting thoughts but as a continuation one of the other. The verse is not saying that some people are afflicted and some are merry. The verse is saying those who are afflicted may have a continual feast if they have a merry heart.

John Gill said, "a heart that has "the kingdom of God" in it, which lies "not in meat and drink, but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost", Rom_14:17, which has the love of God shed abroad in it by the Spirit, where Christ dwells by faith; and that lives by faith on him, and on the provisions of his grace; all this is a constant continual feast to a gracious soul, made joyful hereby."

I visited a family today who are going through a trial. But this is a family who have learned to smile. So while they were facing some pretty heavy challenges at the very moment I visited them, still they had their smile.

God blesses those who have learned to smile through trials.

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