It’s impossible to escape bad news. No one is immune to it.
You go into work on Friday and are told you won’t be coming in on Monday. This time the layoffs hit close to home.
You thought it was just a routine office visit until your doctor said he’d like to do some more blood work. Something doesn’t look right.
Things haven’t been great, but you sure didn’t see the divorce papers coming.
You find drugs in your teenager’s bedroom or pornography on your husband’s computer.
If you’re not living in the midst of bad news now, then just be patient…its’ coming. It’s inevitable.
The real question is what to do with it.
Psalm 112 provides an answer. The psalmist begins by saying, “Praise Jehovah.” If that was the entire psalm, it would be enough to get us through everything we face, but he goes on. “Blessed is the man who fears Jehovah, who finds great delight in His commands.”
Want to be blessed? Fear Jehovah. Find great delight in His commands. I’m not suggesting that’s always (or ever) easy, but it’s not hard to understand. See God for who He really is and obey Him.
Verses 2 through 6 go on to describe the results of fearing and obeying Jehovah. It’s worth getting out your Bible and spending some time there.
Then verse 7 gives a further benefit as it relates to bad news. “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in Jehovah.”
When bad news hits, we do not have to give in to fear if our hearts are steadfast, trusting in Jehovah. Steadfast means “firmly fixed in place, not subject to change” or “firm in belief, determination, or adherence.”
As we seek God and get to know Him and His ways, our heart becomes steadfast. Our trust in Him grows strong and firm. We understand that nothing is too difficult for Him. We come to believe He will see us through whatever we face. We have a deep confidence that He is good and loving and faithful.
Verse 8 says, “His heart is secure, he will have no fear…”
Bad news is not optional. Fearing it is.
Prepare for bad news before it comes. Now is the time to fear Jehovah and find great delight in His commands. A steadfast heart is a strong defense against the enemy of fear.