What comes to mind as you ready today’s title? Did it get you to do a heart check of where you are at today? Did you have to take inventory to make sure you haven’t allowed the enemy to get in there and plant seeds of lies and destruction causing bitterness, anger, frustration, and even possibly depression? Are you daily asking the Holy Spirit to help clean house so that no bad seeds can starts roots in your heart but instead make sure it is cleaned up and purified with peace, hope, and love through faith?
We know that from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks, right? So, let’s use what is coming out of our mouths as a dashboard to be able to see if there is a bright check heart light on to warn us. There are always signals of a bigger problem and so we just need to have an eye out for it. Let’s ask God to help us remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit so that we can get the notices early and address them rather than starting to go into a downward spiral.
Signs of a cheerful heart:
The Bible has several verses that mention the signs of a cheerful heart. According to Proverbs 15:13, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit” 1. Proverbs 17:22 states that “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” 2. Proverbs 15:15 says that “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast” 1. These verses suggest that a cheerful heart is characterized by a positive outlook, a sense of joy, and an ability to find happiness in life’s simple pleasures.
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Signs of a Hilarious Heart:
We need to live our lives in obedience to God because we are willing and happy to do so. We see that the word cheerful when it comes to generosity in the Bible comes from the word “hilaros,” which means cheerful, without grudging, and it implies giving with a gracious attitude. As a result, signs of a hilarious heart are a cheerful heart, living life to the full rather than grudgingly, and also living a life that pours out grace to the people around us.
Today’s Verse of the Day:
Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. [Prov. 22:9.]
2 Corinthians 9:7 AMPC
Therefore, let’s be the dads who choose to live our lives based on what we’ve decided in our minds and purposed in our hearts so that we don’t regret our decision and do it reluctantly or sorrowfully or even under compulsion. Moreover, let’s be the dads who are choosing to give and to live in order to please God, valuing Him above other things and unwilling to abandon or do life without Him! Furthermore, let’s be the dads who decide to be cheerful, joyous, and hilarious givers who do it from the overflow of the faith, hope, and love we have in our hearts!
How can we take today’s verse of the day and put it into practice to help us be the dads that our wives, kids, and world need us to be? What practical ways can we take it and put it into practice in and through our lives as overflows of our hearts?
Applications of 2 Corinthians 9:7 to help us live lives with hilarious and cheerful hearts to meet the needs of our wives and kids and bring glory to God:
- Intentional Decision-Making:
- Make conscious decisions in alignment with your beliefs and values.
- Regularly evaluate your choices to ensure they align with a cheerful and joyous heart.
- Gracious Generosity:
- Practice generosity without grudging, freely giving with a gracious attitude.
- Extend acts of kindness and generosity to your family and others.
- Positive Outlook:
- Cultivate a positive outlook on life.
- Focus on the good and find joy in life’s simple pleasures.
- Joyful Living:
- Live life to the full, embracing each day with joy and enthusiasm.
- Share this joy with your family and those around you.
- Pouring Out Grace:
- Interact with others in a way that pours out grace and kindness.
- Respond to challenges with patience and understanding.
- Mindful Giving:
- Be intentional about giving your time, resources, and love.
- Consider the needs of your family and actively seek ways to meet them.
- Faith-Based Decision:
- Base decisions on your faith, trusting in God’s guidance.
- Allow your faith to shape your responses to life’s challenges.
- Value God Above All:
- Prioritize your relationship with God above all else.
- Ensure that your actions and decisions reflect your commitment to God.
- Unwavering Commitment:
- Be unwavering in your commitment to live a life that pleases God.
- Resist the temptation to compromise your values.
- Regular Self-Reflection:
- Set aside time for regular self-reflection.
- Assess the state of your heart and make adjustments as needed.
It’s important to go from being hearers or readers of the Word to being doers of the Word
By consistently applying these principles, dads can strive to live with cheerful and hilarious hearts, positively impacting their families and bringing glory to God. These practical steps involve a combination of intentional decision-making, cultivating positive attitudes, and living out one’s faith in daily life.
