“Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’ ” Nehemiah 8:10, NKJV.

“A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones” Proverbs 17:22, NKJV.

The joy of the Lord is your strength. As men, we can get very serious. We find ourselves searching so much for God’s direction, that it’s seen all over our faces. With all of the responsibility and the work we do, even the work we do for God, can have us so driven that we’ve become unbalanced and unhappy. Some of us have experienced things in life, and we don’t laugh like we use to.

Let up a little. Relax and enjoy the goodness of the Lord. Rejoice over all the great things he has already done for you. Don’t be so focused on looking for a blessing, that you forget you are already blessed. You can laugh and have a merry heart, which is good for you. Above all, you are in His hands. God has it all under control. As a believer, you need joy and nothing should outweigh the joy of the Lord from operating in your life.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your Word. I’ve become so serious that I’m not experiencing any joy in my life. I need to laugh more. I desire a merry heart like I use to have. Help me Lord to lighten up, trusting You have it all under control. Regardless of my situation, help me to always feast on Your goodness and Who You are. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Study: Proverbs 15:15, Psalm 126