from DALLIN H. OAKS

Be Of Good Cheer

1  | God’s Plan can’t be thwarted, but anxiety sure won't help anything. Multiple times throughout this talk, President Oaks references scriptures and church history which support this. Jesus taught His disciples before His crucifixion, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” We knew the moment God’s Plan was set in motion that our earthly experiences would be incredibly difficult - especially in the latter days. We ALSO knew that God’s Plan would not and could not fail. Our all-powerful and ever-loving God has designed exactly what we need to become strong and perfected leaders. While we tuck into our phones, scroll the little anxiety-inducing squares, and fret over the state of the world, there is a God and a Savior preparing something of eternal magnificence. Whether you look up or look down is your choice, but only one of these will help facilitate God’s divine Plan.

2  | Hardship was part of the Plan all along. We weren’t designed to live lives free of adversity, stress, or trial, so what if we stopped running from it? Our world is fixated on eliminating pain and sorrow. Many of us have forgotten that it is by these things that we are also able to grow, learn, and have joy. By eliminating one, you eliminate the other. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and were given the opportunity to live the full spectrum of experience in their mortal lives. Understanding that hardship and opposition BELONG in our lives can give you the perspective and strength you need to overcome them.
 

3 | We have heaven as our aide. In this talk, President Oaks says, “we have God’s assurance that, in the long view of eternity, opposition will not be allowed to overcome us.” This doesn’t exclude us from the stumbling blocks of sorrow and sin, but the tools for triumph have been given to us, and we have an army of angels at the ready. For learning and guidance, we have scriptures, modern day prophets, personal revelation, and other resources. For comfort and solace, we have prayer and human connection with friends, spouses, and family members. And for the inevitable missteps, we have the Atonement of Jesus Christ, perfect and all-encompassing, so that we can repair our hearts and paths. The Holy Ghost can be our guiding light in every decision, our companion through every hardship, and our comforter as we endure.
 

"He knows of your wants, your needs, and your fears. The Lord is all powerful. Trust Him."

DALLIN H. OAKS

"Be of good cheer and...have joy in the fulness of the gospel as we press forward through the challenges of mortality." 

DALLIN H. OAKS

INVITATION:

This week, be on the lookout for opportunities to relay a sense of calm, confidence, and cheerfulness to those around you. 

Where you’d normally feel inclined to react or retreat, make a special effort to stand firm and tall. Your example will influence the moods, reactions, and general well-being of others, and your testimony and surety of God’s eternal Plan and ultimate triumph will be a beacon in the darkness. 

Make a list of some of the ways you can actively and tangibly “be of good cheer,” then decide now how you’ll make that effort. Join us on Instagram and tell us how it goes! 
 

AFFIRMATION:

I am choosing to trust God. I will cheerfully welcome His plan into my life by remaining calm, confident, and faithful through triumph and tribulation.