A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

I love this verse. So much truth vividly wrapped up in just 14 words and given in such stark contrast between what’s good and what is dried up. There is so much that is broken within humanity and our world that thousands of books and millions of words have been exhausted trying to chronicle them and solve what is broken. But the most important book written and words spoken about our brokenness is the Bible and the Words are straight from God; not to be expounded on in a short devotional. 

[NOTE: Before my salvation at six years old, my spirit was fallen, an enemy to God, and separated from Him. Any brokenness I have experienced since God saved me from sin’s hold and penalty was not from being separated from Him (Not even I can do that. Read ALL of Romans 8) but rather choosing, literally every day, to resist the Holy Spirit’s amazing healing and comfort of mercy and grace just waiting to be poured directly into my dry bones. A truly broken spirit of any Christ Follower is one that cannot fix itself, just as we could not save ourselves, we cannot heal our dried bones by our own means and initiative.]

In my case, my spirit was broken because of all the attempts I made to try and fix what was bruised and battered in my own way, in my own timing, and with only my goals in mind. I was bitter, some would say, justifiably so. I was hateful and angry and self-absorbed. Every person I encountered was suspect in my eyes. What ulterior motive did they have for helping me or even just speaking to me. It was me against the world and I was determined to win…on my own.  This did not play out well among my family and friends and I hurt so many people and relationships.

Finally, after decades of living in this miserable dried up bones kind of life I laid down all my bitterness, hate, anger and every other Un-God-Like trait curled up in a ball on a hotel floor while my husband (only in God’s grace did he stay with me all those years) hugged me and whispered prayers on my behalf. The bitter load that had crushed me for so long and that had tried, but not succeeded, to squeeze the Holy Spirit out of my way and out of life was lifted and tossed into God’s sea of forgiveness, mercy and grace! 

Sanctification could finally begin again in me and that joyful heart that I clung to at six-years-old was restored and it was good medicine! Such good medicine that I never-ever wanted to allow a root of bitterness, justified or not, to spring up within me ever again!! Have I been wronged since that night curled up in a ball on a hotel floor? Oh yes, many times. What human is not wronged, and often? Have I felt angry toward someone? Felt bitterness toward someone? Felt used? Felt deceived? 

Yes…yes…yes.. and yes and to many other offenses. But God’ and His grace…and His alone…I have not experienced the root of bitterness in my heart, in my spirit, in my inner-self that engulfed decades of my life. 

Just some food for thought to finish off for the day…God’s words…God’s food! And I beg you to not let a root of bitterness enter into your heart. Dried up bones are so painful…so devastating…so lonely! Choose God’s joyful heart each and every day no matter the offenses against you or against those you love.

Hebrews 12:14-15

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.

Psalm 119:65

Great peace have they which love your law; and nothing shall offend them.