Joyful Wisdom

Joyful Wisdom is the devotion for today. It’s designed to help you dig into God’s Word, spend time with the One who created you, and let Jesus invade your life.

Bible Reading for Today

Proverbs 17

Bible Verse for Today

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Proverbs 17:22

Devotion for Today

Joyful Wisdom

I love to laugh. Moreso, I love that laughing is good for you. It boosts your immune system, reduces stress, triggers endorphins, and so much more.[1] It even burns calories and is good for your heart.[2]

That said, I also struggle with depression and somedays it’s just plain hard to laugh. Have you ever been there? Maybe you don’t struggle with depression, but you’ve experienced grief or heartache. Ecclesiastes 3:4 tells us that there’s “a time to weep, and a time to laugh.” It’s okay to experience grief. It’s a God-given emotion.

I love the story of Elijah. When he was experiencing depression, he went up on a mountain top and told God he was ready to die. God didn’t chastise him or tell him to buck up. He ministered to Elijah in the midst of his depression. And God can do that for us, too.

It’s okay to not be okay. We can be Christians and still struggle with depression. Psalm 30:5 tells us that “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

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[1] Lawrence Robinson, “Laughter Is the Best Medicine,” HelpGuide.org, February 28, 2023, https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm.

[2] Ibid.