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The fear of bad news
You’ve heard of claustrophobia, agoraphobia, and xenophobia (and I’ll bet there is even a fear of blogs). But I would say our most prevalent fear is fear of bad news—forever bracing for the other shoe to drop.
The distinction of the righteous man, according to Psalm 112:7, is that he is “not afraid of bad news.” This is very good news.
The verse does not say the righteous man will have no bad news, only that he will have no fear of it. It’s the fear that eats us up, more than the bad news itself. Bad situations can be borne if taken one minute at a time.
Suffering is bad enough, but constant fear of the next suffering is what is unbearable. The unrighteous live in constant morbid suspense, even in good times (“The wicked flee when no one pursues” – Proverbs 28:1). The righteous live in constant peace, even in bad times (“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” – Psalm 23:5)
The desert is a given. Both the righteous and the unrighteous find themselves in it. But the righteous finds refreshment at every turn: “He will make it a place of springs” (Psalm 84:6). He will “drink from the brook by the way” (Psalm 110:7). The secret to this is divulged in the second half of the verse: “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord (Psalm 110:7).
I heard a serene woman say: “I used to think happy days were the calm before the storm. But I am learning to trust God.” Oh for courage to trust God’s love enough to stop fearing bad news—and to start living in sweet liberty.
back to top31 Comments to “The fear of bad news”
Avoid all fear, pride and ego since these are the personal character attributes that lead to failure in all things.
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Thank you for these verses and the confidence they bring!
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Must you continue to point out all my character flaws? How’s a guy keep himself covered in denial with all that truth flying around? Gimme a break!
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“Fear is the path to the dark side: fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” -Yoda-
Discuss
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I’m so much better at this than 30 years ago! What Llama says in NO. 1 is so true.
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Make It Man
There are two kinds of fear, right? There’s fear where you’re running from a rabid T-Rex, and then there’s worry, which is a sinful focus on self.
As the Newsboys say, “Why you holdin’ grudges in old jars? Why you wanna show off all your scars? What’s it gonna take to lay a few burdens down?”
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The Georgian women in the picture could use more faith in the providence of God, though, given Russia’s brutal history in relation to Georgia, they are understandably appalled and fearful. Ideally, we should adhere to Christ’s admonition to not be anxious but being human we often are.
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The fear of bad news won’t go away until one has a healthy fear of God. Since fear of God leads to wisdom, and wisdom is defined as Christ in me. ( see 1 Cor 1:30) So, in other words, the Good News chases away fear of bad news.
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I don’t know how many times I’ve heard speakers say some version of, “You’re always in a crisis, just leaving one, or about to enter one,” with the implied (or stated) “moral” of “Don’t get too comfortable.” Technically it’s true, but I detest it nonetheless. If we trust God in hard times, and thank Him in good times, then why are we supposed to be looking over our shoulders in fear if God gives us a moment or two of peace? And since even sorrow and suffering are from God, why focus so much on them and not on God, even when we are suffering? (I don’t say that glibly.)
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Well said, Cheryl D.
As my pastor likes to say (he may be quoting someone):
“Life is hard, and God is good”
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“I don’t know how many times I’ve heard speakers say…”
I have learned to tune the speakers out and listen to God; He is far more accurate
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Reg – Are you saying that you don’t listen to speakers such as pastors, preachers, &/or teachers? Or am I reading into what you wrote?
God’s word tells us that He calls pastors & preachers & teachers. They are not infallible, but they can teach us & expand our understanding. Even when a speaker says something with which we disagree, it gives us a chance to re-affirm in our own minds why we believe what we believe. And we might even learn something new! (Or change our minds about some preconceptions we have.)
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Karen O, That is true. We are to test all spirits and to hold everything up to the Word of God. We don’t listen to any human without reservation, but God does send us teachers and we should not reject what he sends. It is like rejecting a lifeboat, because we think he should save us in a more spectacular fashion.
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I think the writers on this site are pretty fearless. They know that every word they say or even the words they don’t say has the potential to bring the wrath of an assortment of individuals against them.
A prerequisite for writing here must be to have a teflon personality and carry no fears.
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#4 Make It Man – I think #8 Awstar gets the discussion moving in the right direction for you. All fear is not equal as popular worldviews might have it.
I like the premise of the article. It summarizes the state of man pretty well. That’s big of me, right – given that Andree is quoting God’s word. Anyway it gives me a new handle on this difficult word “righteous.”
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To be constantly corrected, challenged, etc., in my perception of my life and what God is doing by a paid professional who really doesn’t know me, no, I listen to God, I have learned to listen to God after a lifetime of revering the pedastal of our own making, the pulpit.
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Reg –
From 1 Timothy – “If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed…
“These things command and teach…
“Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine…Take heed to yourself and to doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”
And from 2 Tim., 3:16 – “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
God has called pastors & teachers to preach & teach His Word. He has also called fellow belivers to encourage & exhort each other, sharing what God is doing in our own lives.
We need the input of others, especially those called by God to shepherd & teach us, to keep us on the right track. Many have gone astray & denied good doctrine by thinking “It’s just Jesus & me.”
I have often learned a thing or 2 from people with whom I disagreed. I don’t always agree with my pastor, but I listen to what he has to say.
It is so easy to go astray doctrinally or be deceived, that’s why we need to keep our eyes & ears open, & be willing to learn from others.
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” Anyway it gives me a new handle on this difficult word “righteous.” ”
WHY is righteous a difficult word?
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“is so easy to go astray doctrinally or be deceived,”
read:
“it is so easy to forget that my denomination is is perfect doctrinally, and it is so easy to start thinking more biblically due to life’s challenges, that I must be in constant correction by the docctrinally oriented staff, lest I fail in my committment to my church membership vows.”
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As for the New Testament quotes, I am not arguing wit hthe Bible, but with current practices/interprestation supposedly based on the Bible.
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Karen O: We need the input of others, especially those called by God to shepherd & teach us, to keep us on the right track. Many have gone astray & denied good doctrine by thinking “It’s just Jesus & me.”.
Exactly. We American Protestants can get carried away by thinking it’s just, the Bible, Jesus, and Me. The more authoritative churches, including the Roman Catholic and Orthodox, have held the line on important issues while many Protestant churches. have equivocated and caved to the secularists.
While we do well by not kowtowing to authority, we need to respect and listen carefully to those pastors, ministers, and priests who have devoted their lives to understanding and correctly representing Christ and his holy religion.
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Reg (#19) – No, no, no…that is not what I am saying at all. I actually do disagree with some minor matters. I read the Bible for myself & think for myself. And yes, my church encourages me to do so. (And if it didn’t, I’d find another church.)
Excuse me for saying so, Reg, but you remind me of someone I know who seems to think that most other Christians are merely ignorant sheep, believing what they are told without thinking things through themselves. He has the attitude that somehow he’s the only one who knows what’s really going on & can think for himself.
Often your comments give the same impression.
And yet, I am intrigued & made curious by many of your quickie comments. I wonder what is behind them & what you really mean. It would be nice if you could flesh out your comments a little more.
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“Excuse me for saying so, Reg, but you remind me of someone I know who seems to think that most other Christians are merely ignorant sheep, believing what they are told without thinking things through themselves. He has the attitude that somehow he’s the only one who knows what’s really going on & can think for himself.”
Stereo-types or comparisons are not always accurate. It is always good to ask more questions.
“And yet, I am intrigued & made curious by many of your quickie comments. I wonder what is behind them & what you really mean. It would be nice if you could flesh out your comments a little more.”
I have come out of an abusive religious and home environment after many, many years. I am rebuilding my life. I often do not know how to say things like I would had I had the stability of a routine life/environment/loving relationships, etc.. It is all coming together in pieces for me. I am not in a position to argue forcefully, handle debates, or otherwise function in an intellectually articulate way. I am speaking from a different knowledge base. What I have learned lately is from experience and reading a whole new set of books that have helped me more than anything in my reformed upbringing. I say what I say because it is the only thing I can think of, not because I think that no one else can understand what I am saying.
For abuse, Why Does He DO That, Bancroft, and FoolProofing Your Life, Silvious were the best.
For religious influence in life, Pagan Christianity literally set me free this year.
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“Stereo-types or comparisons are not always accurate. It is always good to ask more questions.
I chuckled a bit at this, though I agree. I do ask questions & don’t assume that my first impression of a comment is necessarily correct. That’s why I’ll often ask something along the line of “When you say…do you mean…?”
I chuckled because I have asked you questions on a number of occasions which were not answered. But I understand you are busy, as you mentioned previously, & may not get back to all the threads you’ve commented on.
I am planning on reading Pagan Christianity so I can see where you are coming from.
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“I chuckled because I have asked you questions on a number of occasions which were not answered.”
Frankly, when I first started posting on WOW I could not believe the rude responses I got. IT takes me a while to weed out who is being sincere and who is just wanting to have power over me with the superiority of their thinking.
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25-
rather than rudeness, judgementalism would be more accurate
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And as for authros writing about abuse AND religion, I have to say that Donald Joy’s Two Become One was tops.
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#18 Reg
Do you use righteous routinely in your conversation? I don’t. Outside a Biblical context I have pretty much relegated the word to a negative use such as “self-righteous.” So I think culture has slipped into my thinking and reduced my understanding. The world has become a smaller, less significant place because I have neglected God’s view.
The psalms are more serious and powerful about drawing distinctions – such as between the righteous and the wicked. Then in the NT Jesus expands the distinction even more, e.g. Matt 19:16-26. Terms like righteousness and “the kingdom of God” are much more rich than we usually allow them to be. In today’s culture this is not only politically incorrect it is a kind of neutering. God’s view has been crowded out. Thankfully – mercifully, He keeps breaking in even in personal ways.
We will be much further ahead if we worry less about policing religion and more about Who we should fear. It’s not about intimidation or abuse but about mercy and love in the face of our idolatry (our idolatry often coming from selfish, egotistical fears).
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28-
Do I use the word righteous routinely in conversation? I don’t throw my pearls before swine. Yesterday the word came up when a friend who is facing a divorce from an extremely abusive man needed to talk and have someone listen. She has had more than one husband turn out to be abusive. And each husband was found in the church. One was even a pastor. He wooed her while she was recovering from an auto accident after the death of his own wife. As soom as they were married he turned out to be abusive and sexually perverted. Now, there are “Christians” who would “counsel” her to submit so that he would straighten up. I even saw an article in Table Talk a few years back that said that if a pastor strayed it was his wife’s fault. Well, this man was seen beating her in public and was arrested and restrained from talking to her for two years. He then was sexually inappropriate in supervised visitaion with their four-year-old son. Where is he now? In jail? No. He is on staff at the denomination’s seminary. The words unrighteous and righteous just keep coming to mind.
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29 Reg -
Your friend’s situation sounds pretty difficult to say the least. How did the word righteous come up yesterday? Does the main premise of Andree’s article about fear bring anything positive to mind for you?
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30-
Righteous comes to mind because we have learned the hard way not to assume that those who claim to represent God are truly righteous. They will be known by their behavior. The word unrighteous comes to mind because those who act abusively are unrighteous regardless of their job titles.
“Does the main premise of Andree’s article about fear bring anything positive to mind for you?”
Yes, the last three years of being on my own with foud children 24/7 has been more difficult than anyone can imagine, yet the relief of not living with an abuser any longer outweighs those difficulties.
“(“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” – Psalm 23:5)”
“The desert is a given. Both the righteous and the unrighteous find themselves in it. But the righteous finds refreshment at every turn: “He will make it a place of springs” (Psalm 84:6). He will “drink from the brook by the way” (Psalm 110:7). The secret to this is divulged in the second half of the verse: “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord (Psalm 110:7).”
God has done these very things for me time and time again. IT is amazing to watch Him work predictably according to hid word, which doesnt’ mean that I predict the details, but His faithfulness is sure. I count on it.
Ps. 112
112:1 Praise ye Jehovah.
Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah,
That delighteth greatly in his commandments.
112:2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth:
The generation of the upright shall be blessed.
This is true even in undesirable circumstances, God uses all things to prosper his children in godliness.
112:3 Wealth and riches are in his house;
And his righteousness endureth for ever.
112:4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:
He is gracious, and merciful, and righteous.
112:5 Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously and lendeth;
He shall maintain his cause in judgment.
112:6 For he shall never be moved;
The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:
His heart is fixed, trusting in Jehovah.
112:8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,
Until he see his desire upon his adversaries.
112:9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the needy;
His righteousness endureth for ever:
His horn shall be exalted with honor.
112:10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved;
He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away:
The desire of the wicked shall perish.
We newly divorced singles learned in Divorce Care that the stronger home will win out. There may be tough times in the teen years, but when those children of divorce are in their early 20’s, they will see clearly enough to recognize the right, they will have character discernment.
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