‘Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.’ Proverbs 12:25(NLT)
‘I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! ‘ 1 Kings 3:12(NLT)
‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.’ Proverbs 13:12(NLT)
‘A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.’ Proverbs 14:30(NLT)
‘A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.’ Proverbs 17:22(NLT)
‘My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.’ Proverbs 4:20-22(NLT)
‘For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ‘ Hebrews 4:12(NLT)
‘Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord , and you will gain knowledge of God.’ Proverbs 2:4-5(NLT)
“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (Proverbs 12:25).
When you read the book of Proverbs, you need to understand that the author was the wisest man ever (past, present or future), not to mention he was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. God told Solomon, the author of most of Proverbs, “I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be” (1 Kings 3:12).
Besides anxiety and depression, see what other sickness and diseases Solomon addressed:
· “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12).
· “A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones” (Proverbs 14:30).
· “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Do you know anyone with bone diseases like osteoporosis? Is depression a problem in this country? What if doctors and patients alike took God’s word literally?
Where can a person get a good word to fight depression? Hope to battle heart disease? Or how does one obtain a merry heart?
The good news for us is that God (through Solomon) didn’t just tell us about the problem; He gave us the solution. “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22).
No one can argue that eating a healthy diet and daily exercise are not beneficial. However, if you really want to move the needle, you need to invest in your spiritual fitness daily. “The word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word is like a probiotic for your soul and spirit. We need to “search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:4-5).
If you want to walk in divine health, the answers are all in God’s word. Search through the Bible as if it was a hidden treasure. Administer liberal doses daily to your spirit man and call the Great Physician as often as necessary.
Prayer: Lord, reveal to me the hidden secrets of Your word. May I be diligent in searching through it as for hidden treasure. I pray for a childlike faith where I can take You at Your word. If I read it, then may I heed it. In Jesus name, amen.
from Anxiety Not!