PROVERBS 15:15
“All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.”
All the days of those who are affected with continued or often repeated pain - either of body or mind, suffering grief, or distress, … are evil. They are all difficult times. There is no joy in it. “but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.”
As was typified by Jacob, when his sons, after selling Joseph into slavery, brought him the false information that Joseph had been killed; of which, Jacob supposed he must have been killed by an evil beast.
In that Genesis 37 from verse 34:
“And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.”
Verse 35: “And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.”
So all the days of Jacob were days of mourning, like he proclaimed it, for his son Joseph.
So, all the days of the afflicted are evil.
They are days of mourning.
They are days of distress because of their affliction.
So, in this case, Jacob’s days were days of mourning. He proclaimed it and he performed it, to the extent when he eventually reunited with his son.
Look at what he told Pharaoh, in Genesis 47 verse 9–
“And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”
So, as the Psalmist says in Psalm 90 verse 9. (This was Moses’s prayers)
In that Psalm 90 verse 9 He said–
“For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.”
That’s how the days of the afflicted are.
Psalm 90 verse 8, it says–
“Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.”
Verse 9: “For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.”
Verse 15: “Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.”
So, all the days of the afflicted - whether being afflicted because of sin, or whether being afflicted because of what they are going through in their mind or their body, … All their years are evil, all their years are painful.
I don’t know why you are going through affliction, but remember what the Scripture says in Psalm 119 verse 71.
It says–
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
Maybe God is teaching you something: …
Learn it and purpose to do it!
Don’t just learn it and drop it. Learn it and purpose to do it!!
As you learn the lessons and purpose to return to the LORD:
Affliction will not come a second time.
Affliction will cease.
I pray, as the Scripture says in 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 10, it says–
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
That’s God’s desire!
God’s Desire …
He desires to settle you.
He desires to establish you.
He desires to perfect you, as you learn the lessons of the affliction.
It says– “All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.”
A merry heart is a sound heart. And a sound heart is the life of the flesh.
It is a heart that has received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour.
A heart that is in the kingdom of God, which is: righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
It’s a heart that hath become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, enjoying the peace that passeth all human understanding; and remaining in the joy of the Holy Ghost.
A merry heart is a heart that is walking by faith; and as such, is not moved by the things that are happening around them. But their confidence and trust is in the LORD: and can boldly say as in Habakkuk chapter 3 from verse 17:
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:”
Verse 18: “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
Verse 19: “The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.”
(To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.)
So, it is a heart that is full of joy. No matter the circumstance, no matter the situation, such have decided that their joy, nothing shall take away, knowing fully well that with joy shall they draw water out of the wells of salvation.
So, they purpose to remain in the joy of the LORD. Their joy, nothing will take away, because: ...
They know: … “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” [Ref: Proverbs 17:22].
They know that with a merry heart, they have strength to go through every challenge.
See what Paul and Silas did when they were thrust into the inner prison, in Acts chapter 16 from verse 25. It says–
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”
Verse 26: “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.”
Paul and Silas were thrown into the prison because of the Gospel. They did not mourn. Rather, they prayed and sang praises unto God. They must have sang praises that they were able to suffer for the Gospel’s sake.
Instead of mourning, they prayed, they sang praises. And with joy, they were able to draw water out of the wells of salvation.
The Bible says– “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.”
Not only them; all those who were in prison. So, even in the prison, they were able to, - (through the Gospel, through the word of God, through their prayers) … release many who were in bondage!
So, a merry heart hath a continual feast! When you have a merry heart, there will be reasons for you to celebrate always.
Purpose to operate in the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
And continue to have a merry heart so that you will continue to overcome all situations. Knowing fully well, that ‘being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:’
And as such, we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and we will continue to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God that would be made manifest in our situation. [Ref: Romans 5:1-2].
Even in tribulation we will glory, knowing fully well : through patience we will possess our possessions, we will possess our souls.
So: “All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.”
I encourage you : …
★ Come into the saving knowledge of the word of God.
★ Remain in His peace.
★ As you have received the joy, let the joy of the LORD continue to be your strength.
And as you do this, remain blessed in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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