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Day 110: Choose joy!


July 3, 2020 


I learned something while reading today that I thought was interesting.  The most common term used in the Bible for “worry” is a Greek word, merimnate.  It sounds a lot like marinate, as in getting meat ready to cook, by letting it soak in something.  Isn’t that what we do when we worry?  We soak our brain in fear and anxiety, which breaks it down and makes it weaker.  Also, interesting (at least to me), merimnate comes from merimnao which is made up of two words: divide and mind.  So, when we worry, our mind is divided.  (rather than in one piece)  So, the solution is simple: Don’t worry! (Be happy!)  If only it was that simple.  Maybe we could change our “marinade” to praise, joy, you know, good things!  If we could let God’s love and hope for us soak into our brains and make it all the way to our heart, we could probably have a better day.  The base of this marinade would be gratefulness, being thankful for what we already have, and praising God for all of it.  When we focus on what is already good and right in our life, this is what infuses our mind, making it more open and tender to God’s grace and mercy.  So, let’s prep our mind with thankfulness so our heart will be infused with joy!  I know I just recently used this verse, but it fits so well today.  Philippians 4:8 (TLB):  ”Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.”  Romans 12:2 (TLB) says:  “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you.”  Choose joy!  Smile and be joyful!   

A song to “fire you up”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA7n7TwPDmw


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