Look Happy or Be Happy

The other night my 2 oldest grands and I were in the hotel and they began, as tween girls do, flipping the channel and it ended up on some cartoonish type show called, Big City Greens by Disney (not endorsing). Now we really didn’t watch much but it caught my attention because the dad was trying to get all his family together for a photo and “make” them smile. This is something that I do almost every time we are all together and I remember the days when it was like pulling teeth to get them to smile. I think they see the good in it now so they do it without grumbling. Anyway I digress. He got the picture and was so excited to have it developed and when he looked at them, it was evident that they were NOT happy. And he frowned! He then took them to the food court and they all got their favorite food and sat down to eat. As they sat there he looked around at them and noticed they were all laughing and smiling and having fun. He took at snap shot in his memory and in his mind said, “it’s better to be happy than to just look happy” .

In the day of everything being plastered on social media and everyone putting on the “happy” face, how do we distinguish between looking happy and being happy. Let’s face it. Life is hard and we can’t always keep that happy face on.

2 Corinthians 12:10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

But actually we can! Our face may not always look the part but in our heart, we can be.

Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Proverbs 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

There is going to be hard times, if there wasn’t why would we have needed a savior. We are not promised a life with no troubles but we are promised that in HIS presence there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.

Don’t allow those troubles to crush your spirit, let HIM be your good medicine and fill you with a joyful heart. If life gets tough, God will also place people on your path for you to share your sorrows with. Don’t walk alone, grab God’s hand and grab the hand of a friend and walk it together.

So turn that frown up side down and “BE HAPPY”!

Thank you Lord for giving me reason to be JOYFUL! Amen!