BAD NEWS AND GOOD NEWS

How do you react to bad news? It can be very hard to stay positive if we’ve been let down by a friend, received poor grades or if you struggle with long-term illness. One girl I know had to keep going to the doctors because of stress. Yet she was able to use this as an opportunity to share
her trust in Jesus with her doctor.

In the book of Philippians, we read how Paul used his difficult situation—imprisonment—to tell the Gospel. The Philippian Christians were sad because Paul had been arrested for talking about Jesus, but he told them that his imprisonment had “actually served to advance the gospel”
(PHILIPPIANS 1:12). The whole palace guard and others knew why he was in jail—because he loved Jesus and wanted others to know Him too. Whoever met Paul heard about Jesus—whether soldiers (who guarded him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) or others outside. As a result of using his bad news to share the good news, some of the guards may have even become Christians
(4:22). Just because Paul was chained up it didn’t mean that the good news was pinned down in any way.

As followers of Jesus, even our difficulties or problems can be a chance to trust Jesus more for ourselves and show our friends the real difference He makes us to every day. In our bad news, let’s find an opening to share the good news.

To Pray about . . .

Father, You know the difficulties I’m going through right now. Please help me to stick close to You so that, even during my bad news, I can share the good news about You.

PAIN CAN BE A PLACE TO TALK ABOUT JESUS.

YouTh Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries