A Prayer To Be Cheerful In Pressurized Circumstances
Friday August 7, 2020
PRACTICE BEING CHEERFUL
So today we want to think about and pray about being cheerful. There seem to be some people who are always upbeat and cheerful no matter what and other’s that don’t seem able to crack a smile no matter how many good things happen around them. Most of the rest of us operate somewhere in the middle. We’re cheerful when things are going well and struggle to be that way when we are stressed and circumstances bring pressure into our lives. We’ve certainly felt that pressure in this season of the pandemic haven’t we?
Scientific evidence suggests that being cheerful seems to have positive benefits on our over-all health. There are studies that suggest being cheerful and optimistic limits stress, reduces pain, supports our immune system, and even helps to protect our heart. Is it any wonder that long before there were tests to prove it, the Bible already had this important information available?
A cheerful heart makes you healthy. But a broken spirit dries you up.
Proverbs 17:22
Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up.
Proverbs 12:25
Studies have shown that those who live with joy and cheerfulness better fight off seasonal bugs like cold and flu. Older people who reported feeling happy lived longer than those who were least happy. This is pretty good motivation to be thankful for who we are and to be cheerful today.
A happy heart makes the face cheerful,
but heartache crushes the spirit.
All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.
Proverbs 15:13, 15
Heavenly Father, We want to live today with joy in our hearts and be cheerful no matter what challenges we face.
Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up.
Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that,
and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure.
2 Corinthians 13:11
We want to stick with You today knowing that whatever seems broken in our world or our hearts, You are able to repair it. We bring our hearts and minds to You right now and ask for Your blessing to be poured out on us so we can know fresh encouragement and optimism to face this day, knowing that You are with us. We don’t want to be those who grumble and complain but to live so we gain a reputation of being agreeable and working in harmony with others.
We know that if we welcome Your peace and love into our lives and our circumstances that we will be more creative and we will solve problems better than when we operate in fear and worry, supposing the problems before us are bigger than Your ability to make a way through for us.
Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.
Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant.
Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder
Romans 12:11-12 MSG
We’re grateful that we don’t have to pretend that problems don’t exist. Denial didn’t fix our problems before this pandemic and it won’t solve the challenges we face in this ongoing season of uncertainty, disease, waves of infections going up and down, and ever changing restrictions. We simply want to be faithful to do our part to pray often, work hard, and trust You, God in all circumstances. When we do, we know that You will be faithful to Your promise to be with us.
We receive Your comfort and encouragement as we face problems head-on rather than avoiding or denying them. We trust You are with us and will make a way forward for us as You’ve done so many times in the past. Thank you for caring for us. Amen
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