Attitude Check

(Proverbs 15:15 KJV)  All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

I had to laugh and say “ouch!” when I read this.  How often have I felt “afflicted” (6041)?  I could be in full time Woe-Is-Me mode.  When I was watching The Man of La Mancha I found my soul-mate in the Knight of the Woeful Countenance.  If left to myself, all my “days” (3117) would be “evil” (bad NASB) (7451a).

The context tells us that Solomon is not talking about the oppressed here.  Affliction is contrasted to the “merry” (cheerful NASB) (2896) “heart” (3820).  This says that one of the chief sources of this affliction is attitude.  Attitude is something we have control over.  Ours should reflect a genuine trust of the Lord.  The Holy Spirit loves to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Attitude check.”

Jesus spoke about how we are defiled by what comes from inside, not what comes from outside.  Affliction is like that.  It comes from the inside.

So?  Which heart will you wear today?  Will you be afflicted because you are conflicted or will you be cheerful because you trust?  It seems like a simple choice but I know how easy it is to enjoy our pity-pots.