We are used to finding good practical life instructions from the Proverbs. But, we are less familiar with the Book of Proverb’s advice on true spirituality. These three verses in Proverbs 15 show the connection between our spirituality and our happiness.
Knowledge Leads to Gladness
Proverbs 15:13–14 ESV “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”
The condition of the heart will show itself in one’s looks and the way one carries oneself. One’s spiritual state can be fairly well surmised from one’s face, smile, eyes, and mood. We all know this and experience this, and it is what helps care for one another in spiritual struggles and growth, leading to conversations and prayers.
The discerning heart, that is the one who understands, sets himself to seek knowledge because knowledge of God and His Word will affect his soul and bring spiritual vitality into his life. We all know the feeling after reading our Bibles, meditating, prayer, group study, sermons, worship, etc.
The fool on the other hand doesn’t bother with such things like seeking knowledge; the result is that he becomes so spiritually starved that that his appetite for knowledge of God and His Word is small, and when he does nibble at it, it is only to promote his own foolishness. Such a person is often sorrowful and just can’t get joy, and easily gets crushed in spirit by life.
The cheerful heart comes from knowledge, feeding upon knowledge. The cheerful heart is sustained by God. He causes the hunger for knowledge and He gives the satisfaction, and the desire for more and more.
A Heart Filled with Continual Joy and Satisfaction
Proverbs 15:15 ESV “All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.”
We often say that “attitude is everything.” This is true and fits well here, as long as we realize that in v.15 we are not talking about manufacturing such an attitude from within ourselves. The point is having a perspective that comes from God, His Word and Spirit at work within us.
The first part of this verse might reference our lives when they are less than pleasant; and so, how we are able to overcome this through spiritual vitality. Or, it might point out that those with an afflicted heart are always in pain and have no escape. The depressed, who are not spiritually vibrant will tend to stay that way throughout their lives, day after day.
Either way, the spiritually vibrant of heart see beyond their life circumstances even when they are not in perfect alignment with what they will be one day in glory. Such persons even rejoice and still find much grace upon which to feast and enjoy their lives. I think we all know people like this—maybe you are one.
The Proverb Points to Christ
We know our Lord Jesus Christ was sent to give us this kind of abundant life and we have it flowing to us and through us from His work on His Cross and in His Resurrection.
Knowledge Leads to Gladness
Proverbs 15:13–14 ESV “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”
The condition of the heart will show itself in one’s looks and the way one carries oneself. One’s spiritual state can be fairly well surmised from one’s face, smile, eyes, and mood. We all know this and experience this, and it is what helps care for one another in spiritual struggles and growth, leading to conversations and prayers.
The discerning heart, that is the one who understands, sets himself to seek knowledge because knowledge of God and His Word will affect his soul and bring spiritual vitality into his life. We all know the feeling after reading our Bibles, meditating, prayer, group study, sermons, worship, etc.
The fool on the other hand doesn’t bother with such things like seeking knowledge; the result is that he becomes so spiritually starved that that his appetite for knowledge of God and His Word is small, and when he does nibble at it, it is only to promote his own foolishness. Such a person is often sorrowful and just can’t get joy, and easily gets crushed in spirit by life.
The cheerful heart comes from knowledge, feeding upon knowledge. The cheerful heart is sustained by God. He causes the hunger for knowledge and He gives the satisfaction, and the desire for more and more.
A Heart Filled with Continual Joy and Satisfaction
Proverbs 15:15 ESV “All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.”
We often say that “attitude is everything.” This is true and fits well here, as long as we realize that in v.15 we are not talking about manufacturing such an attitude from within ourselves. The point is having a perspective that comes from God, His Word and Spirit at work within us.
The first part of this verse might reference our lives when they are less than pleasant; and so, how we are able to overcome this through spiritual vitality. Or, it might point out that those with an afflicted heart are always in pain and have no escape. The depressed, who are not spiritually vibrant will tend to stay that way throughout their lives, day after day.
Either way, the spiritually vibrant of heart see beyond their life circumstances even when they are not in perfect alignment with what they will be one day in glory. Such persons even rejoice and still find much grace upon which to feast and enjoy their lives. I think we all know people like this—maybe you are one.
The Proverb Points to Christ
We know our Lord Jesus Christ was sent to give us this kind of abundant life and we have it flowing to us and through us from His work on His Cross and in His Resurrection.
John 4:10–14 ESV “Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.””
John 7:37–39 ESV “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”We experience the reality that “the cheerful heart has a continual feast” in even greater ways than the people of God under the old covenant did. Simply put, being filled with gratitude and happiness will help us become more spiritual.
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