“And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.” (Acts 27:22)

When you're in a dangerous situation, you'd most likely cry out to God in desperation. But once you get born again, you ought to be crying out in faith, for God can only hear the faith cry of a believer. The faith cry is calling those things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). It's what God means when He says, "Let the weak say, I am strong" (Joel 3:10). The Apostle Paul knew how to use the faith cry when he exhorted the men on
that sinking ship to be of good cheer. He was telling them to start acting by faith and those sailors must have thought "Look at that crazy preacher. We're sinking and he says be of good cheer." You may feel like your ship's going down like those sailors crying out in desperation. But don't do it. Instead, do what Paul said and be of good cheer.

Cry out to God in faith and say, "LORD, I'm not going to panic nor despair. I will say Cheers and be of good cheer because Your Word says You'll deliver me from this situation" (Psalm 34:19). Then start being cheerful. It may take more strength and determination than anything you've ever done before, but God will give you the power to do it. He'll give you the power to be cheerful in the midst of the most painful affliction you may be facing. Instead of crying out in desperation, sing and rejoice and praise God for your deliverance. Cheers is not just a bar, a TV show or what you say before drinking, Cheers is what God wants you to do at all times, with or without Ted Danson. And yes, God expects you to be a cheerful giver too (2 Corinthians 9:7). Be of good cheer and you can be sure God will bring you through The Perfect Storm just fine, and that is The Shipping News you'd only want to hear.

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