Our human hearts function well when they are given good physical nutrition, positive emotional experiences, and especially a daily dose of spiritual manna which can only be provided through a vibrant and joyful relationship with Jesus Christ. I discovered long ago that we are all born with a spiritual vacuum that only Jesus Christ can fill. And without Jesus not only will the human heart always be restless but the essential ingredient it needs to function at peak levels – the joy of the Lord – will be missing.
I have also discovered, in my walk with the Lord, that the two key ingredients for a broken, anxious, depressed, and unmotivated heart – joy and thankfulness – are sadly lacking in the lives of many Christians. When we thank and praise God for who He is and what He has done for us a special warm feeling flows within our heart. And I believe the reason is that we have been created to give glory to God and when we live in a constant state of thankfulness we feel at one with God’s plans and purposes for our life, and joy automatically also flows within our hearts. Thus, joy and thankfulness create fertile ground for a truly happy heart and are truly medicinal.
And if you want to see how this principle works listen to this insightful quote concerning what brings happiness to Jesus from Norwegian theologian, Ole Hallesby: “Jesus is moved to happiness every time He sees that you appreciate what He has done for you. Grip His pierced hand and say to Him, ‘I thank Thee, Savior, because Thou has died for me.’ Thank Him likewise for all the other blessings He has showered upon you from day to day. It brings joy to Jesus.”1
Notice how being thankful to Jesus brings joy to our Savior. I get excited knowing that when I praise and thank my Savior, for who He is and for the things He has done for me, not only do I bring Him joy, but I am lining up with one of the key reasons God created me – to give Him glory. I don’t know about you but when I know by being thankful and praising Jesus, I bring Him joy, I also get tremendous joy.
I love how Lisa Appelo helps explain the connection between giving thanks and joy: “But giving thanks right where we are opens the door to joy where we are. Thankfulness blankets our heart with peace and steadies us with contentedness.”2 While researching this devotional I came across a great list of Christian quotes on thankfulness also from Lisa’s website.3 Take some time to read these quotes and begin to cultivate an attitude of gratitude throughout the day – it will be wonderful medicine for your heart and soul!
1 68 Quotes About Blessings | ChristianQuotes.info