There was an article in the most recent edition of Good News Magazine about how we should all be encouraging our friends and family...and just about anyone we can.
They quoted the words of Jesus in John 16:33 where he says "These things I have
spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall
have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
The article said that not only should we ourselves "be of good cheer" but that we should encourage others to as well.
I really love the idea that we can and should "be of good cheer" no matter what trials and tribulations happen to us. That doesn't make it easy...but knowing that Jesus did indeed overcome the world should help make it easier.
One of my neighbors is an excellent example of this. She just recently lost her husband of 51 years and just last week with diagnosed with a fast spreading form of cancer. She is supposed to start both chemotherapy and radiation treatments next week. She is cheerful and pretty upbeat though. She is definitely not anywhere near defeated!
I just hope that if such trials come to me I can be anywhere near that cheerful and hopeful.
Encouraging other folks is hard too...especially for people like me who find it hard to talk to and make friends with new people. Having my neighbors example is encouraging. If it ever comes to it I hope to set such an example myself but I'm not exactly confident in my ability to do that.
Of course Jesus set the best example of all. And practice makes perfect...eventually. So the more we practice being cheerful now...the better we will get at it.
