Be Joyful and Do Good!

“I perceived that there was nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.” Ecclesiastes 3:12

King Solomon was given the gift of wisdom. In his reflections on life, he came to the conclusion that the best way to enjoy this time on earth was to BE JOYFUL and to DO GOOD. If we want to live lives of peace and contentment, then we will choose joy. Finding joy is easier some days than others. When I hear about disappointing lab results, or my doctor tells me that the treatment is not working, I can easily slip into fear and depression. The wind is pulled from my sails, and I lose all energy and enthusiasm for life. These are the most important times for me to choose joy. I force myself to sit down and write out all my blessings, to focus on an “attitude of gratitude”, to thank God for how far He has brought me and to trust Him for where He will take me. I thank Him for the little things, like the privilege of helping my middle schooler with homework, or the gift of being able to walk to the mailbox. I remind myself that I am alive in Christ, and that I’m just as alive today as every other day. I then rouse myself to do good. I prepare a nice dinner for my family or pray for them as I straighten up the house. Sometimes I write a letter of encouragement to a friend, or make a call to someone who is lonely. The best way to be joyful is to focus on the gifts of this life and to do something nice for someone else. Keep the focus on the moment, not on the future. The future is uncertain for everyone. Trust God to take care of yours.

Lord, your servant Solomon was so wise! Help me to have the same understanding. Guide all my thoughts and enable me to have a joyful heart condition. Remind me every day that “the joy of the Lord is my strength”! My joy doesn’t come from anything external, but from the hope that I have in You. Protect my heart and my mind from any thoughts that seek to rob me of this joy, and grant me daily opportunities to “do good”.