Tuning In To The News Maker

Tuning In To The News Maker

Now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8

In today’s world, it is easy to be distracted from things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. All you have to do is turn on the news!

The news seems to be the antithesis of everything described in today’s verse. Whether it is the local report, a network broadcast, or the twenty-four-hour nonstop news channel, it seems the stories that grab the headlines are always full of tragedy, heartache, terror, and brokenness. The more we listen to the news and the more we dwell on the ugliness of the world, the more likely it is that those dark thoughts will push us away from God.

On the other hand, time spent praying for God to intercede draws us closer to him. It’s an opportunity for us to recognize that while we don’t have all the answers, God does.

Karen and I have found that by limiting how much time we spend watching the news, we can use that time to pray for God to intervene in the hard situations that happen in the world every day.

I’m not saying that we should withdraw from society or put our heads into the sand. Far from it! But we must focus our attention on the one who can solve all these unsolvable problems, not on the problems themselves. When we focus on the overwhelming problems in the world, we lose our perspective on the blessings that God has granted us. He alone has the power to change the things that overwhelm our abilities, but we always have the ability to change ourselves through prayer.

If you find yourself dwelling on bad news, make time to dwell on the good news that comes from our good God. Only he is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of our praise. All the time.

TODAY’S RX

Instead of allowing tragic news to turn your head, step away from the news and bow your head in intercessory prayer.

Lord, in this dark world, thank you that your attributes are attractive and comforting. I praise you for being true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Whenever I am disheartened, help me to pray and remember that this world is in your hands.