SMILE!
“A glad heart makes a happy face!”
See Proverbs 15:13
As believers in Christ, in our hearts, we have been given joy! Joy is a part of our spiritual DNA! (See Galatians 5:22-23). Our hearts–everything we truly are–the real us, has been infused with the Creator of the universe! (See Colossians 3:3, 1 Corinthians 6:19). He is a very joyful Person! Where do you think we got this emotion from?!
Therefore, since joy is a part of us, we should have smiles on our faces quite often. Joy–not happiness–is based on a state of mind. Our state of mind is in Christ! (See 1 Corinthians 2:16). So by simply being ourselves–joyful at heart–smiles will happen all the time, no matter our circumstances!
If you’re not smiling, you’ve forgotten who you are: a heaven-ready saint, a child of God! (See Colossians 1:22, John 1:12).
Smiles are powerful! Smiles are attractive! Smiles can bring you favor with other people and get you noticed! Smiles lower blood pressure and relieve stress. Smiles can alter a bad mood and ease emotional pain. Smiles are gifts for other people. Smiles show other people the real you!
Just think about it, when someone smiles at you, something happens in your soul. You can’t help but smile back! It’s nearly impossible! You would actually have to try to not smile back. Smiling is a universal language. Smiling is a weapon against the enemy, it can get rid of enemies, and it makes you look good in pictures!
Have you ever been around a person who never smiles? I mean, it would absolutely kill them to crack a nice grin? Either they’re too grumpy, arrogant, or self-conscious to smile, or they want to be sure you know they don’t like you? What kind of feelings do you get from that? Not any good ones! You just want to say to them, “Hey grouchy pants! Smile, would you?! It would help your stiff-as-a-board butt!”
Some people are even too legalistic to smile. “I don’t want these heathens to think it’s okay to live how they live. You couldn’t pay me to smile in their direction.” Or, “They ain’t been to church in months, I ain’t smiling at them.” Get off of it! We should always be conscious of those around us, and smile at every opportunity we have! It’s no wonder they stopped going to your church! Nobody wants to be like you! They might want Jesus, but they don’t want to become a Christian so they can be cantankerous and miserable like your non-smiling rear! SMILE, WOULD YOU?! GET OVER YOURSELF! Show them it’s fun to be a Christian! Smiles are fun! Being a child of God is fun!
And you might say to me, “Matt, I want to smile. But right now, there’s not much to smile about. I’m really hurting.”
Friend, I know life hurts sometimes…I know. I feel you. Sometimes our pain can last for very long periods, it seems as if the storm will never pass. During those seasons we might not feel like smiling, but do it anyway. Crack a smile…you can do it. Just lift up each side of your mouth, and show your teeth…go ahead. Do it right now…I’m waiting…
Now, wasn’t that nice? Yeah it was! Listen, I’m not saying be fake, I’m just saying…smile. Look around you, look within you, and smile. You’re gonna be okay. The stuff you are worried about, in the grand scheme of eternity, it’s small. God is working all things together for an eternal good and He’s with you. That’s something to smile about!
So today, my friends, know this: Smiling is a very serious matter! By forming a habit of a simple smile, all day long, your life will be revolutionized! I know this sounds like entry-level faith, but it’s so much more. I’m not trying to have a pep rally here, I’m trying to get you to realize countless smiles are inside of your heart. Let them out! Smiling changes your thinking! Don’t be weird about it, just smile regularly! When you smile, negative situations don’t seem so bad, your pain subsides, and you’re reminded of who loves you infinitely…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are smiling at you right now. You make them smile all day long.
A prayer for you: God, thank you for my ability to smile, I know it comes from you! Like Buddy the Elf, you love smiling, it’s your favorite! For so long I hid my smile, or I had a fake smile, but not any longer. You’ve shown me so many things that cause me to smile naturally–even when I’m in deep pain. I want to thank you for that! Thank you for such a simple thing, a smile! Right now, I lift up all who are reading this, directly to you. There are some people who think they’re too holy to smile, help them to loosen up and not be such a religious stick-in-the-mud. At the same time, there are many of these dear readers who think there’s nothing to smile about; reveal to them that’s not true! Yes, there’s lots of heartache in their lives, and smiling might be the last thing on their minds. But if they believe Jesus is their Savior, His smiling Spirit lives in them! From Him, they can smile! His Spirit infuses joy in all of us! We ALL have the ability to smile and to thank you for being with us in every situation! SQUEEZE a smile out of them! We can smile because we know you’ll never leave us, and because you’ve made us your children forever. We love you. Amen.
This devotional is from 60 Days for Jesus, Volume 3. Get your copy here!