A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

This verse has been ringing my ears these days. What exactly is a joyful heart, and why does God tell us it’s good medicine? Like any good medicine, we must go to the doctor to receive it. In order to have true and lasting joy, we must go to God.

10 characteristics of a joyful heart

1. The joyful heart has faith, pursuing an intimate relationship with his or her Creator.

2. The joyful heart is not bitter, resentful, vengeful, or angry.

3. The joyful heart is grateful, content with what they have even when they want more.

4. The joyful heart casts their burdens on the Lord, laying their worries at the feet of Jesus.

5. The joyful heart has their priorities in order, clinging to what’s most important and knowing how to let go of what isn’t.

6. The joyful heart doesn’t get caught up in what other people think. Their confidence comes from who God says they are.

7. The joyful heart considers others, loves others, and is eager to serve others.

8. The joyful heart is immersed in his or her purpose, divine assignments, and bringing glory to God.

9. The joyful heart knows how to protect his or her own peace.

10. The joyful heart knows joy is his or her strength.

What brings death isn’t merely sickness or old age; death comes when we willingly relinquish our power to the devil. Our joy is our strength when we cling to it despite our circumstances. True joy comes from our Creator and having an intimate relationship with Him. This is what ultimately brings life and sustains it, even in physical death.

Death comes from a broken spirit as much as it does from a broken body. The crushed spirit Proverbs 17:22 is referring to isn’t the same thing as heartache. We will all face hardships in this life, but so long as we remain in God, He will not allow us to be broken; so long as we remain in God, having faith in His promises, our joy can not be taken away. When we live without true joy, we aren’t really living. When we die while clinging to God, His love, His peace, His joy, and His truth, we aren’t really dying.