They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
Psalm 112:7 (NLT)
Do you want the good news first or the bad news? It’s a question that we’ve all been asked before – or will be asked at some point. The question is intended to soften the blow of bad news. By giving the option of which news to hear first, the person being questioned takes the burden off of the person delivering the news. Therefore, it was their choice to hear the bad news. I know, it’s convoluted (it’s not easy to follow), but that’s what we do.
In fact, when I was a businessman, my company sent me to training on the proper way to deliver bad news. (No, I’m not making this up. There are actual seminars on it out there.) The instructor preferred what he liked to call “The Sandwich Method.” It sounds appetizing, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t like a good sandwich? Here’s how it went. You give good news. Then give them the bad news. Then, for the finale, give them more good news. That way, the bad news is surrounded by good and isn’t so bad. There you go. I just saved you $199.
Why do we fear bad news so much? Mostly, I think, it’s because of the negative impact the news will have on the future of our life. For example, getting fired from work is generally bad news. You will no longer get paid and be unable to pay your bills. There will be a negative impact. Additionally, future employers will call the boss who fired you for a reference. Odds are, you won’t get a good one. Getting a good job in the future becomes more difficult.
But, what if I told you that there is no such thing as “bad news.” There is only news. How can that be? Because Jesus conquered all of the bad and replaced it with His good. Yes, there will be difficulties and hurts in life. But, no matter the circumstances, we still have good news. In fact, the term “good news” is called “The Gospel” in the Bible. And the Gospel trumps everything.
Satan wants to surround us with bad news. Jesus wants to remind us of His good news, His saving power at work in our lives.
What bad news has Satan trapped you in? What guilt, shame, of difficulty is weighing you down? Ask God to show you His goodness. You will see it. You will know that His good conquers Satan’s bad every single time.
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