Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
– Luke 6:21
If it leads, it bleeds is an old saying in the news business. Surf the web, turn on the TV or listen to a podcast, and you’re bound to come across story after story about pandemics, government corruption, natural disasters and degenerate behavior. The fact is that the media thrives off bad news and hyping the worst possible scenarios for maximum effect. After all, good news rarely drives ratings or sells ad space.
With bad news and scary headlines in such plentiful supply these days, how about counting our blessings and taking a much-needed break? It’s easier than you might think. For one week, make the effort to avoid TV —particularly news broadcasts or shows with a political bent. Keep away from the same type of content on social media. And don’t bother with newspapers and magazines. Even many of the so-called entertainment magazines have fully embraced politics.
At the end of those quiet seven days, maybe you won’t feel quite as informed as you would have had you stayed glued to Facebook or the evening newscast. But odds are that you’ll experience much less stress and enjoy a more positive outlook on life.
That’s sound advice for ditching the bad news. But what about finding something good for a change?
As Christ-followers, the Good News about Jesus is what gives us hope — plus a much clearer perspective on the future. And as we read in the Bible about the many promises God has kept over the centuries, our anticipation only grows as we ponder the amazing future that awaits us. It’s through our life-journey that we'll encounter much more than happiness — which comes from external things and circumstances — but joy, which springs from within through our relationship with God.
Is your life the stuff of headlines these days? Hang in there. Good News and the contentment that accompanies it are closer than you think!
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