“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears, He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 NLT

Cheer Up

Walk His Way Revisited
First Posted in July, 2014

The last thing I want to hear as I journey from one trial to the next, are the words “Cheer up.” When people don’t understand our circumstances, they don’t often know how to respond, but I’ve found that it’s their way of trying to make life better for us. But then the Lord spoke these words to me in Zephaniah 3:16 NLT… “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid.” These short, simple words were very powerful to me. God was calling me to be strong and courageous. He was telling me that there was an end in sight, and that things will get better, to not be afraid, but to get happy and look forward to the future—He understood.

I’ve found that when we have encountered various traumas in our lives, whether they be from loss, betrayal, or failure, that the feeling of fear or anxiety can creep back into our lives at any moment. It happened to me periodically during a healing process. God revealed to me that I learned to be fearful because of the emotional trauma I encountered in my life for many years. Fear can be paralyzing to the point of being unable to speak or function properly. We can encounter fear again when we find ourselves in any uncomfortable circumstance.

At times I wanted to go away to hibernate and escape my fears, but I couldn’t because I had responsibilities. Some days were more difficult than others to go to work, but I had to power through and face my fears with the confidence that only God can give. I had wonderful friends and family that came alongside and encouraged me to “get my shoes on” and to get out there and accompany them and go have fun. I was reluctant, but this was beneficial in my healing process of becoming stronger.

I can be very social and engaged with people, but when I begin to experience those old feelings again of abuse, lies, or control, then fear or anxiety can slowly creep back into my life. At those times, I don’t feel very socially connected with others, so I need to sit at the feet of my heavenly Father and be reminded to “cheer up”, and allow His love to envelop me and then get back out there. When we face our fears with His help, we then can experience the power of God in our lives as we allow Him to heal us.

“Lord, we acknowledge that Your perfect love casts out all our fears, and that You delight in us. We look up to You in faith. Thank You for Your healing power. You are our mighty Savior. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”