How do you smile when there is nothing to smile about?
You may have difficulty with your finances or issues at work. Maybe you are having relational problems with your spouse or children. Maybe you or someone you love is going through some health scares. These circumstances can easily make us feel sad and depressed.
And when we are in this place, we can start to go down a dark and negative path. We may start to question God’s goodness and the purpose of life. Bitterness starts to set in. This only makes us isolate ourselves from God and others. Deep down, there may be a part of us that even blames God for your situation. So how do you get out of this place?
Maybe its as simple as smiling. Yes, a smile.
Proverbs 15:13 says, “A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.
This may seem obvious. If your heart is happy then your face will be happy. If your heart is sad then your face will also show that sadness. Your heart determines whether you are sad or happy. And when you choose to smile, you reap so many benefits. The simple act of smiling makes you healthier. Your immune system gets stronger and it reduces stress. Research shows that people who smile more live longer. They discovered that baseball players who smiled on the baseball cards lived 7 years longer than players that did not smile.
You may be thinking that there is nothing to smile about in my life. Should you just fake a smile and pretend? That may sound silly, but how often do we do things that we don’t feel like doing. But we do it because we know that is what is good for us. For instance, we go to work because we need to be responsible. We push ourselves to go because we want to pay our Netflix bill. Also, how many of us like to eat vegetables? We force our kids to eat them so that they will be healthier. And maybe some of us adults need to force down some kale too.
Research shows that forcing yourself to make a genuine smile can improve your mood and lift your spirits. Forcing a smile is a small physical act that can help point your heart and soul to the right direction. It allows you to take a step back from the circumstance so that you can see the bigger picture in your life. It allows you to live out 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
A smile reminds us for that brief moment that we have a reason to be thankful. It allows us to reflect on the beauty of life and appreciate life itself. It reminds us of all the things that we have taken for granted. Even in our darkest hour, there is something to be grateful in our lives. Smiling won’t make all your problems go away. It won’t solve all your issues but it does give you the strength to endure the difficult periods.
Perhaps it’s still too difficult to force yourself to smile. I would encourage you to look at the face of God. Research shows that smiling is contagious. When you see someone smile, it naturally makes respond with a smile. God is smiling down on you. Your heavenly Father made you and loves you. He’s so proud of you. He sent His Son Jesus not to condemn or judge (John 3:17) but to love and save us. God is smiling down on you. You can’t see the face of God? You see it when you see your church family smiling at you. Your church family reflects the face of God and it’s filled with love and acceptance.
My hope is that you will look on the face of God and smile back at him. Numbers 6:24-26 says it best:
“‘May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’”
Can you give God a smile back?
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