Seize the Moment – Day 1315
Cultivate a Joyful Heart!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, October 23.
There is something powerful about joy – it strengthens your spiritual vitality, mental health, and emotional well-being. I was at the high school sectional volleyball tournament recently, and as I watched senior Alaina Bowman lead the New Castle team to victory, I was caught with the fact that they all played better when they were happy. Their minds were focused, their bodies more responsive, and their teamwork more cooperative. This observation applies to our everyday lives. There is a positive flow of power that happens in us, and between us, when we are joyful, as Solomon highlighted in Proverbs 15:13-15, “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly. All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.”
Joy is a firm foundation on which to build our lives. It is not a reaction to circumstance; rather, it is the rock on which we stand. As Nehemiah reminded God’s people as they returned from Babylonian exile, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). There will always be something to be upset about, but we must learn to move forward with resiliency. Joy gives our minds an increased focus, our bodies an enhanced responsiveness, and our team a greater fluidity. Paul commanded in Philippians 4:14, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” You will strengthen the church, our team, when you build your life on God, because “in [His] presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).
Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 15: cultivate a joyful heart and you will strengthen your spiritual vitality, mental health, and emotional well-being! Be the kind of person that leads our team to victory.
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.