A merry heart is a good medicine; but a broken spirit dries the bones. -Proverbs 17:22
Because you served not the Lord your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shall you serve your enemies which the Lord shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon your neck, until he has destroyed you. -Deuteronomy 28:47-48
"All diseases are a result of a problem with joy." -Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav
In your presence is fullness of joy. -Psalm 16:11
Let the pious be joyful in glory. -Psalm 149:5
Happy is the people who know the joyful
sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of
your countenance. -Psalm 89:16
Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; let them joyfully exult. -Psalm 68:4
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. -Psalm 100:1-2
The counsellors of peace have joy. -Proverbs 12:20
Let me hear joy and gladness; that the bones which you have broken may rejoice. Psalm 51:10
We are commanded to be joyful, and recent research has shown much regarding how happiness enhances our immune system and promotes good health. It is not always easy to be joyful when tragedy strikes, but generally speaking, we usually have some degree of choice in the matter. Below is a picture of one of my closest friends from the seventies, the late Jim Echols. Jim was paralyzed by polio from the neck down when he was in his twenties, but through spiritual persuits and meditation he gained an inner freedom which few people today are able to enjoy. He was truly the most joyous person I ever met, and people from all walks of life would frequently stop by his house to visit him because of the joyous light that he radiated. Thus, while you are still able to make the choice, choose to live lfie with joy and to be a source of joy to others. The practice of happiness will bring healing to your own being and to all whom you meet.
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