Daily Devotional

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.
- Proverbs 15:13

There are days when we feel unwell, grumpy, or in a bad mood. There may be many reasons for this, but often it stems from sadness. Our emotions can seriously affect us socially, professionally, and even spiritually. As today’s verse shows, when our heart is joyful, it shows on our face and lifts our spirit before both God and others. We need to allow the Lord to come in with His joy and fill our hearts completely.

When we let God's Word renew our minds daily, it transforms our emotions too. By continually seeking God through the Bible and prayer, our emotional life becomes refreshed and balanced in Christ. This allows God's joy to dwell in our hearts, making us more beautiful, cheerful, and willing. Fill your heart with God's joy, and His grace will shine through you!

Brighten your face with a joyful heart!

God’s joy strengthens, renews, and even beautifies us! Be glad that the Lord is with you. His presence is enough to brighten your heart every day.

• Pray and thank God for what He has done and what He will do.
• Read the Bible regularly! Let God's Word completely renew your mind. It will sustain your faith in daily struggles and keep the enemy from stealing your joy.
• Keep your future hope in mind! Trust the Lord and all His promises. He is unchanging and will never fail.
• Share with those around you the joy of belonging to Jesus Christ.
• Be kind, smile, and let the joy and love of God living in your heart shine outward.

Prayer:

"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!"

Psalm 133:1

In an increasingly selfish and individualistic world, living together in church can be a challenge for many people. Unfortunately, after experiencing problems and difficulties within the group, many distance themselves from the community. Others are present but reject any real bond with their brothers and sisters. They stop experiencing the kindness and love that comes from communion with their family in the faith.

Although it is complicated, for the Christian this is the only possibility of living the gospel to the full, loving Jesus Christ and our neighbor as brothers and sisters. Having a personal relationship with God doesn’t mean we get to ignore friendships with other brothers and sisters in Christ... we are God's family and need each other to be edified and grow. Living together is not always easy. Problems will happen because we are all flawed. We are different people, with different upbringings, styles, ages, and problems, but what unites us must always be God's great love.

Be in communion:

• If you are far from communion with the family of God, look for a community to join today.
• For a child of God, living in isolation from others is not an option. Be humble, forgive and ask for forgiveness from your brothers and sisters.
• Don't expect them to do for you what you can also do for others. Love, serve, help, embrace, listen, share, and live with the Christian family.
• If you know there's a problem between you and a brother, pray for him, talk to him, try to win him over, reconcile with him.
• Always take part in meetings and get together with your brothers and sisters. These are great opportunities to build community.
• Authentically care about people. Study the Bible and pray together with your family in Christ.

Pray:

Father, thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to always live in communion with you and with them by your grace. Forgive our faults and failings. Help us to be a support for all those who need help. As a family, may we all be united despite the problems and difficulties that may arise. Lord, teach us to love and serve one another in the love of Christ. May we always live together in peace and unity, according to your will. In Jesus' name, Amen!