Some people’s faces radiate love and joy. Their smile puts us at ease and cheers us up. Others may have a rather more sour expression on their face and can make us feel very uncomfortable. A smile does transform a face. It is hard to smile if life is tough. They often have nothing, but still have the most beautiful smiles.

Your face often reflects your heart. ‘A happy heart makes the face cheerful.Even where you manage to hide your heart from those around you, God can still see it. 

Joy comes from the heart and is not necessarily connected with your outward circumstances. Sometimes you face difficulties in life, not because you are doing something wrong, but because you are doing something right.Your heart should be fully committed to the Lord. 

God’s own heart is for his people and he sees and knows the hearts of all people: ‘You alone know every human heart. 

Thankfully, there is still hope. It is possible to have ‘changed hearts’ (1 Kings 8:47, MSG). It is possible for our hearts to turn back to God. He prays that God will ‘turn our hearts to him’. God is full of mercy and forgiveness. He relentlessly loves and he keeps his word. 

Never settle for second best. Your heart must be fully committed to the Lord our God. God wants you to walk before him with ‘integrity of heart and uprightness. 

The people determined to live like that and went home ‘joyful and glad in heart’ Like the disciples, their hearts were full of joy.

Proverbs 15:13

‘A happy heart makes the face cheerful…’