“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” – Proverbs 17:22
It's easy to think this verse applies to each of us, when it comes to stewarding our own attitudes toward ourselves, but the truth is it also applies to how we treat others and the responsibility we have in doing that well. There's a saying that goes “hurt people, HURT people!” – it means that we tend to hurt others from our own place of pain. I've also heard it said “the problem is never the REAL problem”. When someone explodes because they get cut-off in traffic, the real issue is not the traffic, it's a deeper, underlying issue causing stress and anxiety. The sad mistake that we make is that we take an explosion or abrupt interaction personally and to heart. It wasn't really about you but the deeper issue going on in the other person's life. And if we react like it was personal we compound the pain and hurt in our own lives and the other person's life! It saps the strength of both parties! You can see how the enemy would want to perpetuate this kind of mentality. It divides relationships and ultimately humanity…that was never the intention God had for us. When we can rise above these situations, see to the heart of a person and offer them grace (just like Jesus constantly does for us!) it's the medicine that they need (and you need) for the pain that other situations have bought upon us. Whether it's your spouse, a friend or some random in the supermarket, choose to have a cheerful heart and watch as you go about healing your own hurts and being a healer to others! God bless you guys… ???