We live in a world that is saturated with evil. But how do you respond
when bad things happen? Just the other day I got some news that was bad but I had to stop myself. How was
I going to respond to it. was I going to freak out and lose it? Was I going to let fear get the best of
me?
We always have a choice of how we respond to bad news.
Jairus was in trouble. His daughter was very sick and he needed help. That is when he decided to go to
Jesus for help. All was going well. He met with Jesus and told Him his problem and Jesus agreed
to go with him to his daughter. But on his way to his daughter something happened;
“While He was still speaking, there came some from the ruler’s house, who said [to Jairus],
Your daughter has died. Why bother and distress the Teacher any further?”
Mark 5:35
In that split second Jairus’s world collapsed. His daughter died. Despair was already walking through the
door of his soul.
Like I said before, we live in a world that is saturated with evil. Bad things happen. But how we respond
is so important. Let’s move on.
Despair was almost through the door but before it could make itself comfortable Jesus stepped in.
“Overhearing but ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue,
Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear; only keep on believing.”
Mark 5:36
In the face of bad news, Jesus told Jairus to believe and not give in to fear. He told him to believe
that He could turn things around.
We don’t have to give in to the bad news that comes our way. I don’t know what kind of news you
have received today but you don’t have to accept it. There is another option. You have another
choice. You can keep on believing…
You can decide to keep trusting God instead of giving in to fear, instead of accepting the bad news
you have been given. It takes faith to do that. Choosing to trust God over believing the bad news
takes faith and only faith.
King David was another man who had to deal with some really bad news. When he got back to
Ziklag he found his home had been plundered. The enemy had taken everything of his and his soldiers.
Their families were taken, their possessions were gone. There was nothing left. There was even talk
among the soldiers of killing David. He was in a really bad place but he did something really amazing.
Let’s take a look at what he did;
“David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them
all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters.
But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
1 Samuel 30:6
His hope in the face of the bad news was in the Lord. He didn’t let fear overcome him. Instead,
he encouraged himself in the Lord. He reminded himself of how good the Lord was to him.
He brought to remembrance how the Lord delivered him from his enemies!
(That’s what I think he was doing!)
How do we respond to bad news? I hope you can see it’s really important how you respond.
You can either accept what has happened or make a decision to put your hope in the Lord.
Let’s make the right decision today, the decision to trust God.
Bless you, friends!
Rolain
kingspeech 