All the days of the afflicted are bad, But a cheerful heart has a continual feast.  Proverbs 15:15 (NASB)

So, how is your attitude lately?  Here in today's proverb we have an interesting truth that is being presented to us.  The truth has to do with what is governing our hearts, or said another way, our choice to how we look at our circumstances in life.  We can choose this, whether you know that or not, and it will truly govern what kind of day we are going to experience.  Intrigued? Then let's take a look at the proverb today and learn how choosing our attitude each day in response to the grace of God can govern in many ways what kind of day we are going to have.

All the days of the afflicted are bad.  This seems to be a "University of Duh" kind of statement, if there was not a second part to this proverb.  But this is not speaking of those who are dealing with affliction and hardship and trouble alone.  The second half of the proverb points us to what is ruling in a man's heart.  The truth of the matter is that often feeling bad in the midst of affliction is far more a matter of the heart than it is just the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  Let me explain.

There are those who in the midst of very difficult affliction seem to thrive and keep a great attitude - and - there are those who even in abundance, consider themselves afflicted.  I've watched people face the most awful circumstances and still have a cheerful attitude.  They are the kind of people you go visit in the hospital, and after leaving the room you wonder who came to encourage who?  You can supposedly to encourage and lift their spirits - but leave honestly more encouraged by them.  They seem to have an almost inconquerable spirit about them.  The reason being is that they do not face life thinking they are afflicted.  They do not look at the glass as always half empty.  They look at things in light of the grace of God. 

When you realize that you deserve hell and the wrath of God for your sin.  When you grasp that you honestly deserve nothing but punishment and affliction for the choice to grieve God and live in rebellion to His will.  Then you grasp that God in His mercy did NOT punish you - and then in infinite grace sent His Son to pay the price for your rebellion and sin.  That you have been given life and life abundantly instead in Christ Jesus.  Well, then nothing in this life can even begin to disturb you at your core.  I am not saying that afflictions won't hurt and  that problems might not get you down initially.  But the fact of your salvation should blow your mind and bring you to where you have continually a cheerful heart.  Paul warned the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord.  He told them again that they should rejoice.  This was to protect them from having the sense of an afflicted heart - that would eventually see a cloud inside of every silver lining.  Instead we should see how God in His mercy had blessed us beyond all measure.  When we see this, we should be filled with a happy heart - a redeemed heart - a joyful heart - and as we read here a cheerful heart.  Grace and grace alone is ground to have this indominatable cheerfulness control and utterly dominate your demeanor.

The cheerful heart, we read here, has a continual feast.  Christians should have a great attitude - at all times.  We should know that light and momentary discomforts (which when you read what Paul called light and momentary seem far from that description) are working for us an eternal weight of glory.  We need to know that the varicolored trials and difficulties that we face are reason to rejoice exceedingly - for they are working endurance in our lives.  This endurance will result in being mature and complete - lacking nothing in our lives.  There is nothing - absolutely nothing that will ever separate us from the love of God that was given to us in Christ Jesus.  Therefore even death is not a problem any more.  We can walk through life knowing that the final foe is defeated.  This, dear saints, is what can fill your heart with joy (i.e. here called cheerfulness) no matter what is going on in your life.  I've even seen those facing death have a cheerfulness about their demeanor. 

So, what will be your choice today?  Will you walk about as one of the continually afflicted - manifesting an "Eyeore-ish" ability to see the reason to not rejoice?  That will make every day that you live seem as if it has some bad aspect to it.  There is another choice, which is to fill your heart with a joy that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul said it best in Romans chapter 5 when he said, "Therefore, having been made righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God."

A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13

The state of our hearts is vitally important to the way that we live - and whether we will live in joy or sadness.  Also, as we will learn from this passage, the state of our countenance is also something about which we should be concerned.  To say that we are Christians and know God's joy, yet for this joy never to reach our face (i.e. our countenance) is a bad testimony to those around us - and especially to the lost.  This proverb holds a great deal of wisdom for us if we will open it and learn from it. 

First, we have the joyful heart.  This heart is the one filled with joy and as a result is exceedingly glad.  This gladness does not come from mere human prosperity - but truly comes from and is maintained by the blessings of the Lord.  In the New Testament this joy comes from knowing Christ Jesus and the salvation that He brings to us.  It comes from knowing that God loves us and that we are saved from the wrath of God through Him.  This is a joy that floods our hearts no matter what our outward circumstances.  It is a joy, as Peter expresses it, that causes us to greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.  The foundation of this joy - obtaining the outcome of our faith - which is the salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:8-9).  This joyful heart communicates with our countenance - and brings us to have a cheerful face.  No matter our circumstances we can stop and remember that our sins are washed away - that we are made righteous in Christ - and that as a result - we are saved.  That can bring a cheerful expression to any face. 

I find it disturbing that some are what I would call, "lemon-sucking Christians."  They seldom have a joyful or cheerful expression on their face.  They always seem sour about something.  It is almost that they are unwilling to be happy and joyful.  This is a horrible witness to Christ and to the salvation that He brings.  Sure there are things about which I am concerned - even heartbroken.  But, in spite of everything that happens and can happen - the one constant is my salvation - that I will not face the wrath of God and I will enjoy fellowship with God here and now - and forever in heaven. 

Then there is the sad heart.  The word used for "sad" here is "assebet" which clearly refers to emotional suffering - and not usually to pain or injury.  This is a sadness of heart.  It is truly fascinating to look at what brings on "assebet" in someone Scripturally.  This kind of sadness or grief is caused by idolatry (Psalm 16:4),  by a fear of spiritual discipline over our sin (Job 9:28), or by those who "wink the eye" in evil plots (Prov. 10:10).  Some might refer to this to speak of someone with a broken heart over sin or over the loss of a loved one - but that is not the way that "assebet" is used Scripturally.  This is a sadness brought on by disobedience, sinfulness, and a walk contrary to the ways of God.  This kind of sadness causes our spirits to be broken.  The word "broken" here means that we are stricken, smited, or scourged.  We have a bad situation in our lives due to sin - and our spirits are broken due to the consequences of our sin. 

When you look at this proverb and the meanings of the words used in it, you see that wisdom therefore is to walk with God.  When we do joy will come to us - and our countenance, our face will reflect it.  But to walk in disobedience and rebellion is to invite a brokenness and sadness into our lives which will fill our hearts with emotional suffering.  How many in our world walk in this kind of suffering every day.  But, dear saints of God, we can alleviate this suffering by sharing the gospel with them and encouraging them to come to Christ - Who can deliver them from their sin and flood their hearts with His own joy.  This Proverb truly helps us to see the difference between the lost and the saved - between those who embrace obedience to God versus those who mock such a lifestyle.  The difference is the Source of their joy.  The difference between a sad countenance - and a cheerful one - is the gospel and the joy of knowing that we are saved.

Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. 7 Let him drink and forget his poverty And remember his trouble no more. Proverbs 31:6-7

Is the Bible encouraging drunkenness here?  When I read this - at first glance I come away with the thought that the Bible is encouraging us, if we know someone who is struggling with poverty and bitterness, to encourage them to knock back a few - and they will forget all their troubles.  Is that what the Bible is saying here?  If it is - then this contradicts badly the passages that warn us against the harm that over indulgence in alcohol can do in our lives.  

To understand this Proverb we once again need to understand it based upon what it says in context.  God just moved on Bathsheba to instruct her son NOT to drink wine or strong drink.  Her reasoning is that such an action would lead her son to forget the Law.  With his thinking and reasoning impaired - he might pervert the rights of those who are afflicted.  So, two things we know here are that drunkenness is out of the question in what is being said - and - that Bathsheba is interested in how her son, as king, deals with the afflicted within his kingdom.

Her admonition to her son, next, is to give wine and strong drink to the one who is perishing.  This word means to perish, to be lost, or destroyed.  It was understood by the Jewish rabbis as dealing with two primary situations.  The first is when someone is suffering greatly with sickness - especially when that sickness is terminal.  It was a custom due to this admonition to medicate the dying with strong drink so that they would drink and forget the pain of their dying.  We do this today with terminal patients through morphine.  It is not evil to do so - it is merciful.  It is giving them something to help with the throes of dying.  The second instance where this was used was with those given to a death sentence - especially crucifixion.  We know this because Jesus was offered wine mixed with gall when He was on the cross.  This was a pain killing mixture that was given by godly women to those who faced the death penalty.  Jesus refused this because He needed to embrace all that the cross meant for sin.  But to offer some merciful pain killing substance to someone in the midst of horrific pain is something God counsels us to do. 

These admonitions are given for those "perishing" and also for those who are "bitter of soul."  Here is where things get a little bit more dicey.  For the one who is perishing - it is easy to see that we are easing their suffering as they draw near to death.  But what about the bitter of soul?  What is going on here?  Again, context is so important to remember.  We are in a section of Scripture where a mother has just warned her son against alcohol abuse - and how it clouds judgment and could lead to her son disregarding the Law in a moment of drunkenness.  Therefore, we can be assured that when it comes to those who are "bitter of soul" she is not advocating drunkenness to alleviate their problems.  This passage cannot be used therefore to justify men or women drowning their sorrows in whiskey or beer. 

What we do see though is that there is a benefit for the bitter of soul in having a drink.  The Bible itself says that "wine makes man's heart glad," in Psalm 104:15.  That verse is in the midst of a list of things that God Himself provides, including oil for the skin and the food that sustains a man with strength.  Wine was used in the feasts of Israel as well - and even offered up to God as a sacrifice.  Our problems with alcohol come from living in a society where drinking is too often done for the sake of partying - and with a view to getting drunk.  But God knows that drinking in moderation (let me stress here that this means NEVER getting drunk - and it also means drinking apart from the party scene, which in itself has more sins than just the drinking) can lift someone's spirits.  Wine does make a man's heart glad - and can lift someone's spirits.  Thus, Solomon was advised to give it to those who are bitter in soul to help them be lifted temporarily and cheered. 

I'm going to venture into an area where there is much disagreement and where I can be heavily criticized.  But in light of this passage, I feel the need to go there regardless of the dangers.  There are believers who struggle with periods of depression.  You could call these periods of time being bitter in soul.  Often a psychologist, psychiatrist, or a doctor encourages them to take something for a while to help them with their depression.  When this happens there is a cry from some that this is wicked, sinful - and it is only because the person does not trust God.  Yet here we have counsel given to the king that he should give wine or strong drink to someone who is too struggling with being bitter in soul.  Verse 7 in this section speaks of having him forget his poverty and trouble no more.  Poverty speaks of a lack - something is missing here - and it is further described as a man's "trouble."  This second word means a troublesome time - a time of labor and toil - and was used of the difficulties and hardships of life that lead to sorrow in a man's heart.  These times can be very difficult to handle - and I've actually watched brothers and sisters helped for a period of time by a medicine - something that lifts their spirits as they walk through a very difficult time.  Needless to say - or maybe it is better to say, Needful to say - God is not advocating drunkenness and the proverbial drowning of our sorrows in beer or hard liquor - but I do think what is advocated is something that would temporarily lift ones spirit and soul through a very difficult time.

Here is where I offer what I hope to be the other side of wisdom on this issue.  Although I do see a situation and a period of time where this might be profitable - I do not see it as "the answer" for depression and for times when we are bitter of soul.  Psalm 4:7 tells me that God puts, "gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and new wine abound."  A period of time may require this verse to be applied (if it does not refer solely to the perishing - and the bitter of soul is just another way of saying someone who is perishing) but we need to see God ultimately as our source of joy and as the ultimate One who can lift us out of any funk in which we find ourselves in life.  The one who turns to wine, strong drink, or even modern medicines as a permanent solution to their difficulties - and who does not turn to the Lord with them - is placing themselves in danger of looking to something rather than looking to Somone - as the answer to their problems.

Remember this - as we close today's look at Proverbs.  There is a mountain of Scripture dealing with the abuse of alcohol - of wine, new wine, and strong drink.  The Bible is overflowing with examples of how people lost their reason and their discernment with these things and wound up in grevious sin.  So as we see the wisdom of using wine and strong drink in the ways specified here - we need to do so with extreme caution and with God's wisdom guiding our every move in this area.  Too many, thinking they were just needing a little lift - have turned to alcohol and found it to be worse than their original problem in the end.  Wisdom, dear saints, should always color our use of such things.  May God give us grace and wisdom to do just as His counsel suggests here - and not find ourselves falling into sin by abusing something meant for a temporary benefit.  In the end, He is and always will be our source of comfort and of encouragment in difficult times - even in death.