Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. 

 Proverbs 13:12

Have you ever wondered why everyone can’t be consistently happy? It sounds like how one might describe Heaven, but maybe the answer can be found in the word contentment.  Looking into some of the main reasons why some people are unhappy may give us a glimpse into a mindset that leads away from happiness. If you can’t daily count your blessing you may be focusing on your lack of life. Focusing on the negative or weaknesses can depress the best of us, but appreciating strengths is a joy creator. It is well known that many times when people retire or become disabled they can’t seem to find their value in life. Much time is spent in their own heads. They think about those things they never did or the things they use to do and don’t or can’t do anymore. This can lead to a compiling list of reasons why not to do something and look to blame others for their unhappiness. Unconsciously people may choose to be unhappy by falling victim to life’s circumstances instead of siding with hope. They may tell themselves, “I’m just looking at the facts, I’m a realist”, but where does that way of thinking lead them? Sabotaging your own happiness and jerking the feet out from under those around you may solely lie in your control unless of course, mental illness plays a role. Contentment is not as far from you as you once may have believed. Remember a forced smile even when you don’t feel like it can turn a dark day into a beautiful sunrise. 

Research shows that the effect of smiling elevates moods, relieves stress, lowers blood pressure, boosts your immune system and decreases pain among other beneficial things. If the simple act of smiling performs all this good, why would you not want to smile? Could the gain of these benefits all be as simple as a choice? Finding motivation to drive this joyful concept could start with a look into God’s word. Why not give smiling a try to see how much joy and happiness you can create.

Each of us seems to bear scars imprinted upon our hearts that were inflicted by others. We cannot control what others say or do, but we can choose to find peace. Learning to smile is a positive step towards healing. Learning to let go in order to heal old wounds requires an action on our part. Giving smiles impacts others beyond what we will ever see by touching those filled with hurt and pain. What you choose to do with your expressions will ultimately be your legacy. 

Ask yourself, “Can optimism live in reopened wounds”? I find my smile daily in numerous ways. Some of the things at the top of my list would be, pleasing God, trusting in His promises and loving and caring for people and animals. The reason why I like to focus on these things is that I like to think of myself as a joy seeker. I’m searching for everything that love, peace, and joy have to offer. Yet I’m not always a role model of an optimist. I bear many scars of an emotionally abused person with the ability to resurrect those repetitive thoughts at the first hint of approaching negative arrows. There are times that I can be seen as an inflicted child retreating in the middle of a war zone. Since pain seems to need time to grieve, you may need help to mend the past in order to conquer the present. There is much wisdom in the Bible, and when placed in the heart those words can move mountains.

I recently read that the joy of the Lord is your strength. The scriptures also say that God is our refuge and strength. So think about this, The Lord delights in our strength while He is our sheltered hiding place in order to be strength for us. We are not alone. We are apart of a team! If these words don’t generate a smile from ear to ear I don’t know what will. Taking God up on His offer to rest in His love, hang out in His hiding place under His care, feeding upon His promises has to be a piece of heaven on earth. Christ bears the physical scars placed upon Him as our sin offering and the only way I have found to respond to that thought is to be grateful. That internal power has no choice but to leave a mark, a powerful sign, that the Lord’s legacy is one with mine, through my smile!