PEACE, JOY, LAUGHTER AND CHEERFULNESS

Peace is more than inner tranquility but it is rather a freedom from disturbance. Peace is a state of wholeness and completeness. Having “things” doesn’t bring peace and the presence or absence of money in our lives doesn’t bring abundance but rather peace brings true abundance in our lives. Peace is the fruit of the Spirit and from the moment we were born, we have been designed for peace and it is provided as a gift from God if we will take possession of it. “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.” – Rick Warren

Having a good-natured sense of humor is infectious. Laughter lightens the loads, heavy hearts, and mental anxiety which may tend to interfere with the joy and abundant life God intended for us.  Proverbs 17:22 teaches us, “A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones”. Ecclesiastes 3:4 says, “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” God created peace, joy, laughter, and cheerfulness…. And why not dance while we’re at it! When we think about the heart being cheerful, it is a result of what is going on in our soul. Laughter and cheerfulness are a physical sign of the inward working of God and it is important that these inward workings create a positive external impact on our surroundings.