Be of Good Cheer

 To His disciples, Jesus explained that they would experience hardship and suffering. They would be persecuted and ridiculed. However, he also told them, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

At Christmastime each year, there is a lot of focus on the commercial. Every retailer is advertising something they would sell and offering their best deals in hopes that the consumer will spend their money on that perfect gift. This is not a good foundation for peace. It just adds to a world that is already full of anxiety. It is easy to see how one could feel nothing of peace during the season.

With politics and life in general, our need for this reassurance is no less than any other generation. Paul later expressed to the Corinthians, “We are troubled on every side.” He goes on to explain, “we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but nor forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). We also can use some of this comfort in our time.

We can be cheerful. We can see the purpose of the Christmas season as being more than just the shiny trinkets and dazzling commercials. Jesus promises this: that we can be of good cheer. We, though, have to seek Him. We will find that hope and peace if we look for Him rather than look for it in the world.