Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)—A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
When it comes to vacations, I am a planner. I schedule events on a calendar for each day of my travels. But at times I misjudge the distance from one place to the next, or I don’t plan enough time for an event, and suddenly my elaborate schedule crumbles. I internally berate myself for messing up the situation, arms crossed and shoulders slumped.
In a matter of moments, my joyful heart sinks into a pit of mire. The activity I once looked forward to threatens to derail my vacation. The mud in the pit slowly sucks away my ideal plans.
The easy answer is to wallow in the mud—and sometimes I do, as my story reveals. The better answer, though not always the easiest, is battling the mud and pulling myself back to joy. And such a battle requires the right tools, beginning with the Bible’s guidance.
A few of my go-to verses that remind me to seek joy come from Philippians 4:
Verse 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Verse 6: ” Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Verse 8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
These verses remind me to focus on the positive. They lift my spirit and allow me to finish my vacation with a spirit of joy.
I encourage you to highlight in your Bible and memorize a few verses that provide you the medicine of joy. Practice making these your go-to thoughts in your travels and in your everyday life.