Devotions

 

Does Bad News Scare You?

There are two really cool verses in Psalm 112 that I want to share with you this week.  It’s found in Psalm 112: 6 – 7

• Psalm 112: 6 – 7 Surely the righteous will never be shaken.  They will be remembered forever.  They will have NO FEAR OF BAD NEWS.  Their hearts are steadfast trusting in the Lord.

That’s an interesting phrase – they will have no fear of bad news.  You see with most of us it’s not just the bad news we receive that gets us down – it’s also anticipation of the bad news to come.  And we’ve been conditioned to feel this way.  Think of some of the phrases that when you hear them they trigger bad news. For instance…..

• “I need to talk to you about something”

My mom left me a message a few weeks ago and that’s all she said.  In a serious voice – “Mark this is mom, I need to talk to you about something.”  So I call bracing for bad news and all she wanted to know was I didn’t need to bring my grilling tools because she had some.  Well why didn’t she start with that – not I have to talk to you about something.   Here’s a couple more?

• Report cards come out on Thursday
• The boss wants to see you

One of the things that has helped me through the years in dealing with bad news is this specific teaching from the Bible.

• The report that you BELIEVE is much more important than the news that you RECEIVE

In other words – any news that comes your way good or bad should be put into context with what God has already told us in his word.  You see because of the hope God has given me – there’s no bad news that will ever take that away.  That hope and that assurance of heaven – and that promise that all will be good one day is far more important than any bad news I will ever hear.   And it’s the promises of God that can lead us to say – we’re not afraid of bad news.