Reasons to Be of Good Cheer

“Reasons to Be of Good Cheer”
Finding Confidence in Christ During Life’s Storms

There is a profound difference between the shallow happiness the world offers and the deep, abiding cheerfulness Scripture commands. Happiness rises and falls with circumstances, but biblical cheerfulness comes from a transformed heart anchored in the person and promises of Christ. Jesus does not call His people to “cheer up” through self-effort or self-deception. He gives them spiritual reasons to rejoice, even when the winds howl and the waves roar. Cheerfulness is the outward expression of an inward confidence rooted in forgiveness, presence, victory, care, and trust in Jesus Christ.

The first reason a believer can be of good cheer is that Jesus has forgiven their sins (Matthew 9:2). Nothing produces assurance like the knowledge that the guilt of sin has been removed. From forgiveness flows peace (Luke 7:48-50) and joy (Luke 10:20). Jesus links cheerfulness not to personal accomplishment, but to simple, childlike faith. Spiritual maturity does not outgrow this childlike confidence; it deepens it. John reminds believers, “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). The Christian who remembers forgiveness is the Christian who walks in "good cheer."

Second, believers can be cheerful because Jesus is near (Mark 6:50). His presence is not confined to peaceful shores but extends into raging storms as well. He enables His people to walk through humanly impossible situations and lifts them when faith begins to fail. Likewise, when Jesus is on board, there should be a peace that everything will be alright. When faith wanes and fear arises, we might make irrational decisions. Jesus calls on us to pray, but that prayer is to be rooted in faith and believing (Mark 4:38). Courage comes not from the absence of waves but from the presence of Christ. The storm that troubles you may be the very storm that teaches you to walk by faith, not sight.

Third, we can be of good cheer because Jesus has overcome (John 16:33). The victory of Christ over the world is not merely theological; it is practical. It means that whatever overwhelms us has already been overcome by him. Peace does not come by eliminating every trial, but by trusting in Jesus Christ, who has already conquered them. His victory becomes ours by faith (1 John 5:4-5). The world produces fear, anxiety, and defeat, but Christ produces a peace that guards the heart even in the fiercest conflicts.

Fourth, we can be cheerful because Jesus cares (Acts 27:22). As Paul faced a violent storm with sailors, prisoners, and soldiers aboard, the Lord cared for each soul on that ship and on the shore. God’s compassion extended not only to His servant but also to those who had no regard for Him. His care is broad, tender, and intentional. Because Jesus cares, we can cast our cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). Paul did not merely survive the storm; he encouraged and exhorted others through it. When storms strike others, our calling is not to exalt ourselves, but to exhort (Hebrews 10:25).

Finally, believers can be cheerful because Jesus is worth believing (Acts 27:25). God keeps his word. He anchors the soul in hope and gives refuge in the fiercest waves (Hebrews 6:13-19). Even when the ship breaks apart, the believer does not have to. Cheerfulness is not based on avoiding shipwreck, but on trusting God when the ship goes down. The anchor of hope is Christ Himself: sure, steady, and unbreakable. He remains faithful in the storm, on the shore, and beyond.

Christian cheerfulness is not naïve optimism or denial of reality. It is the bold confidence that Christ is with us, Christ is for us, and Christ is sufficient for us. The storms may roar, the winds may howl, and the waves may break, but the believer who rests in Christ will not be moved.
 
Be of good cheer, not because life is easy, but because Jesus is everything He says He is.