Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart makes good healing, but a stricken spirit dries the bone.
Oh how well I know the truth of that text! When I'm trusting the Lord and looking for the positive in everything, I am able to deal with my medical problems much better. Some of the problems have even gotten so much better than I hardly notice them. It's true that I can still have difficulties even when I'm being positive and trusting the Lord. But the difficulties are easier to deal with when my attitude is positive and I'm trusting God with my life.
When difficulty arises, I quickly ask God for help in dealing with it and to help me trust Him. Anytime I feel negative thoughts forming, I pray for peace and trust. When I pray, I picture myself placing the problem in a box and then setting the whole box in God's hands. Then I tell Him it's His problem to deal with and I ask Him to carry me through the difficulty I'm suffering with at the moment.
Negative thinking will make any physical problem much worse. Trusting God doesn't mean He'll take it away, but oh it's is so much easier to recover when we leave our health and our future in His hands. Our job is to just follow simple health rules to the best of our ability and then leave the rest to God to take care of and help us with. But always, always find the positive in each and every situation.
Proverbs 17:22 is also true in dealing with others. A cheerful attitude can be healing to those we come in contact with. In some cases it may be the only thing that keeps the other person from giving up. The cheerful Christian is an irresistible person. They are like an oasis to those who are going through difficulties. They are the person who has given up their lives completely to God and made themselves open to serve other whenever there is a need. They are following the two greatest commandments.
“And Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments all the Law and the Prophets hang.'” Matthew 22:37-40
The person who is able to get along with people in various situations, has an attitude of humility, is able to put the needs of other before their own wants, and is able to remain gracious and cheerful. They are always listening for God's leading in each situation. All that they do is to bring glory to God, not to themselves. They are able to do this by living the following two texts.
“Then whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
“In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable.” Philippians 4:8