Guess What I Heard On The News?

I don’t watch much of the news on TV, especially lately.  It is not very inspiring or encouraging.  That’s one of the main reasons I haven’t subscribed to a newspaper for some time now. The reports paint a pretty depressing picture.  And, most of their predictions paint a gloomy future.

Do you ever wonder why the news is so depressing? It’s because it isn’t designed to build you up and encourage you.  Journalism has strayed pretty far from just reporting the facts.  But, there’s an old saying: “If it bleeds, it leads.”  That means the story that is the most tragic, dramatic, horrific, or negative, is usually the lead story. And that applies to TV, radio, and newspapers.

But have you ever noticed how you feel after watching the news on TV? Are you refreshed, enthused and inspired?  Like me, you probably don’t feel happy, elated or encouraged, do you?

A lot has happened in our country in the past year.  As a result of what people know, or, what they think they know, many choose to criticize and blame.  And of course to validate their feelings, they simply re-report to others what they heard on the news.  “Guess what I heard on the news, today?”  “I told you they were planning to do that; and just yesterday…”  And on and on it goes.

The United States is currently facing some very critical issues.  Very serious problems need the right solutions.  I understand that.  But, what about putting your focus on some other news?  What about listening to the Good News?

I really do believe that regardless of any circumstances no matter how insurmountable they may seem, God’s promises are still true.  And He will bring His promises to pass for those who choose to trust and believe Him.

Consider this: the Bible is not only full of God’s promises of help, deliverance, healing, and prosperity, but there are also many accounts of people facing very difficult and even impossible circumstances who received His help and deliverance.  Have you ever wondered why all those accounts are in the Bible?

Some of those accounts are memorable to many people, like the Children of Israel crossing the Red Sea.  And that of course, was definitely a very difficult and seemingly impossible situation.  The odds were certainly stacked against them with the Egyptian army on one side and the Red Sea on the other side.  But, God had a remarkable solution.

But how about some of the accounts that are less familiar, and more personal?  For example, a woman with her two sons, whose husband just died, leaving the family with unpaid debts?  It was bad enough in that culture to be a widow, let alone having debt.

To that woman, this was a seemingly impossible or hopeless looking situation.  In that culture, her two sons would be taken to work off the whole debt.  But once again, God came up with a solution.  The woman not only paid off all of her debts, but she had enough to live on with her two sons.

Today, we are going through some difficult economic times.  But what about living through a famine?  A famine is about 100 times worse than a downturned economy.  A woman and her son were about to eat the last of their food, and then just die.  But God brought a tremendous solution.

So, again, my question is why are all those accounts are in the Bible?  Why are there numerous records of God’s help and deliverance in seemingly impossible situations?  Are they in there for our entertainment?  Or, do you think that they are written to inspire us and encourage us to have confidence in God?

In my own life there have been times when to me it looked like the “odds were all stacked against me.”  Perhaps you have faced difficult and discouraging situations where you felt like giving up.  I certainly have.

But, I have learned a big key is where I decide to put my mental focus.  I can choose look at my present reality and accept it, and then project a very negative outcome as a result of where things are right now.

Or, I can choose to think differently. I can look at the Good News.  I can look at what God has promised me, and decide to keep my focus on what He has said.  I can look to Him for solutions. In doing that, instead of expecting things to get worse, I expect things to get better, regardless of what is going on around me.

We all choose what thoughts we think.  The TV news is not going to do much to build your confidence in God. But the Good News will. And when it comes to the economy, here is something you can do to remind yourself to have confidence in God.

Remind yourself every time you spend money, because on every piece of currency we still have the words, “In God We Trust.”  Isn’t that a great little reminder?

Some may choose to feed themselves all that the TV news is reporting, and then hope that somehow, some way, the government will take care of all their problems.  I choose to accept the Good News, and have confidence in God’s promises of prosperity. I choose to trust in God.