Be of Good Cheer

When the Lamanite servants were in despair because of the loss of their flocks, thinking that they would be slain by the king, Ammon said to them, “My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king and he will not slay us” (Alma 17:31). To these Lamanite servants all seemed lost—they could see no way out of their predicament. But this counsel he gave, as a type of Christ, is what the Savior says to all of us when we similarly feel like our situation is too difficult to get out of. When we feel in despair thinking all is lost, He says to us as well, “Be of good cheer.” When the righteous Nephites were about to be slain by the unbelievers because they believed the signs, and Nephi (son of Nephi) prayed to the Lord concerning their difficult situation, He said this: “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets” (3 Nephi 1:13). Once again when they thought perhaps that all was lost, the word of the Lord to them was to be of good cheer. When we feel frustrated or alone or when we do not see a way out of our challenges, the Lord’s invitation to us is this: be of good cheer.  

               Several passages in the New Testament give us the same invitation to be of good cheer no matter what difficulties we face. In one of His many instances of healing while in mortality, we read, “And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee” (Matthew 9:2). He not only healed this man, but He also forgave Him, giving Him a whole new life. As the Savior gave final counsel to His apostles before He was crucified, He said this: “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.” Despite that they would face much persecution and He would die, the Savior instructed them to be of good cheer. He said the same thing to Paul when he was under arrest and when there were those seeking his death: “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome” (Acts 23:11). Later Paul would relay the same message to those who were with him in the ship that was tossed about in a storm: “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:22-25). This group of Gentiles felt they were on the verge of death, and Paul exhorted them to be of good cheer because of the assurance he had received from the Lord.   

               The Lord in our dispensation has also given us the commandment to be of good cheer. He said to a group of missionaries, “And now, verily I say unto you, and what I say unto one I say unto all, be of good cheer, little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you; And inasmuch as you have humbled yourselves before me, the blessings of the kingdom are yours” (Doctrine and Covenants 61:36-37). Though we cannot see Him, He has promised to be in our midst and help us through all our difficulties as we humble ourselves before Him. I love this invitation that He gave to Orson Hyde: “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:6). As we bear record of Him, He will stand by us and we have no need to fear. To another group He similarly said, “And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours” (Doctrine and Covenants 78:18). He will lead us and guide us to the blessings of eternity as we put our trust in Him. To Thomas B. Marsh, the Savior similarly said, “Let thy heart be of good cheer before my face; and thou shalt bear record of my name, not only unto the Gentiles, but also unto the Jews; and thou shalt send forth my word unto the ends of the earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 112:4). All these verses invite us to trust in the Savior no matter what challenges we face; we can be of good cheer because He will stand beside us always.