Cheer Up! Take Heart!

Cheer Up! Take Heart!

From time to time, we all need encouraging. In my Spanish Bible, the expression “Ten animo” (“Cheer up” or “Take heart”) was used four times by Jesus as He addressed four factors that eat at our courage and our joy.

Guilt: In Matthew 9:2, Jesus looked at the helpless paralytic and said “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” Of course the paralytic wanted to walk, but real freedom and joy come from accepting God’s forgiveness.

Sickness: In Matthew 9:22, there was a woman who lived with the frustration of being sick for 12 years. She knew that Jesus was her only hope. Her heart must have sunk as her secret plan to touch Jesus became public. “Take heart, daughter,” Jesus said, “your faith has healed you.” She was thus encouraged to take more steps of faith.

Uncertainty: In Matthew 14:27, the exhausted disciples were in a boat, in a storm at night, without Jesus. Then they saw something they had never seen before – a ghost! It terrified them. Jesus walked up to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” What calms our fears and cheers our hearts is the presence of Christ.

Rejection: In Acts 23:11, Paul did his best but things went wrong. He was now hurting, alone, and in prison. His evangelistic efforts were opposed, his teaching contradicted, his motives questioned. Usually at night, our problems seem even larger, and in one of those sad nights the Lord stood by Paul and said, “Take courage!” There’s still more work to be done.

Perhaps you are going through difficult times. The Lord’s words are also for you: “Ten animo! I know everything you have done, and I have forgiven you. I am standing by your side. I still have more work for you to do.” Don’t be afraid to take another step forward by faith.

By Philip Nunn