I have frequently understood good news events as bad news. Several medical examples illustrate the point. When I was about eight, my doctor informed me my tonsils needed removal. I went to the hospital for an operation. That wasn’t good news, but the surgery produced significantly better health.
My dentist told me my wisdom teeth had to be extracted. That wasn’t thrilling. An oral surgeon removed them. After that, I no longer experienced severe pain behind my eyes as I did before they were pulled.
In my early twenties, God called me into vocational Christian work. That wasn’t appealing at all. It sounded like a bad idea. I fought His call and prepared for my dream aquatic biologist job. It was fun but not fulfilling. I wasn’t making a difference.
The persistent inner pressure to follow God’s call finally moved me to say yes to have peace. It still seemed bad news, but vocational ministry in time became far more fulfilling than my career choice.
Vocational ministry was preparation for an even more fulfilling ministry of providing free spiritual resources for Christians in my retirement. The call into vocational Christianity which initially seemed like bad news became the best news. Jesus promised His purpose is to give us a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10 NLT). By His grace, He has done that.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT). Even our painful life experiences are raw materials God uses for our eventual good.
Losing a job morphed from an excruciating experience step-by-step into a writing ministry touching more people for Christ than I ever imagined. The job loss was part of readying for future ministry. My emotions changed from overflowing anger to overflowing joy.
God’s rule on earth is good news. “Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1 NLT). That is good news for those who seek His Kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
What is the good news of the gospel? Jesus came to earth to free us from our fears and all the dark, negative forces that control us, so we can serve Him gratefully and experience peace, purpose, power, and pardon from our sins.
So, does God’s rule seem good news or bad? It is bad news only if we aren’t living for Jesus (2 Corinthians 15:5) but doing what we want when we want. That won’t end well. Repentance turns us from the foolishness of disobedience to the wisdom of the righteous (Luke 1:17 NIV). And the joy! See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians. #freechristiandiscipleshipresources #freeevangelismresources #freechristianleadershipresources
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God has empowered me to write “His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength.” It’s a free evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship eBook. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead more than 3,196 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 9,019 people. I invite you to check it out. https://www.christiangrowthresources.com/his-power-for-your-weakness
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