As someone who deals with depression and anxiety, I’m always on the lookout for tools to help me stay healthy.
I’d like to share some thoughts from the book Heart Happy by Tricia Goyer this week.
She beautifully writes about the practices she’s found for nourishing her soul, even in the midst of chaotic circumstances. That’s something we all can benefit from, even if we don’t struggle with mental illness.
We don’t have to be happy about the hard things happening in our lives. It’s okay to be sad or frustrated, but if we can stay centered in God’s love then we’ll be able to get through anything with a peace and joy the world really can’t understand.
I want you to read the book, but I’m going to whet your appetite with a few quotes to ponder as you cultivate a happy heart:
Page 6: Every small decision to tend your soul and to turn your heart to God WILL bring change. When you draw near to God first, you will make your heart happy in the Lord. Experiencing God in these moments will allow you to know and feel His love. As this happens, you become centered even in chaotic circumstances.
Page 32: The good news is that as we connect with God’s love and give Him access to our souls, change comes according to His wisdom and through His power. Our hearts are not something that need to be beaten into submission by our iron will or flailing fists. Instead, we offer our souls to God to mold and to fill. Fashioned after Christ and overflowing with God’s love, a happy heart then becomes the staging ground where God is given access to every aspect of our personality, emotions, and values—and it’s these things that guide our lives.
Page 67: Our happiness reflects our understanding of where we stand in Christ. [Robyn’s note: This sentence really got to me and made me think. I can see it in my own life. When I’m not close to God it’s much more difficult to feel peace and joy. The opposite is also true. When I’m close to God, I feel peace no matter what’s happening around me.]
Page 162: Turning to God sets our direction; looking to Him allows us to know where He’s looking and where we should go.
I first read this book from a pdf version so I couldn’t highlight anything. I typed out note after note on my phone so I could remember all of the good ideas and thoughts to consider. Now I have a physical copy and I plan to underline all of those quotes as I reread Heart Happy.
I pray you’ll spend some time in the Bible today and let God speak to you in the chaos of life.
God loves us and he understands the pain we feel. He sees our tears and he weeps with us.
He also longs for us to reach out to him in every season of life. It feels easy in the good times, but it’s even more crucial in the hard times. When it seems like everything around us is falling apart, we can still enjoy a happy heart.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV)
Do you have a happy heart? How can focusing on God help you experience peace and joy in your heart, no matter what is happening around you?
(Get the book Heart Happy by clicking here. This is an affiliate link, so I’ll get a tiny commission, but you won’t pay more.)