Big News Ahead!
When you get big news, how do you respond?
“Well that depends on if it’s good news or bad news,” you might reply. Does it really? Studies show that successful people process good and bad news the same way. People who react poorly to bad news also tend to make bad decisions in the wake of good news.
For example, decisions after seemingly great news of instant wealth, such as winning the lottery, depend largely on how that person has historically handled distasteful news, such as the loss of a job.
People who handle life well process news, good or bad, the same way. They first analyze the problems as well as the opportunities that accompany this news (good news and bad news alike carry with them both problems and opportunities). Next, they give consideration to their options; different ways in which they could respond and what the likely long-term outcomes of those options will be. Third, they get advice from credible sources. Finally, they make a decision whether or not the news they received warrants a response, and if so, what kind of response that should be based on the options they have considered.
It is this kind of process that determines whether or not the loss of a job brings an opportunity for something better or becomes the source of bitterness. It determines whether or not sudden wealth sends the recipient to eventual ruin or propels them to invested generosity and prosperity.
So it isn’t the nature of news that makes it good or bad, it’s the response of the hearer that ultimately determines whether or not the news is good!
I was told I could no longer live with my family when I was 17. I had to do something with that news. In the end, it was good news. Perhaps you have recently received some disappointing news. Remember, the jury is still out. God has a way of turning what appears to be bad into what is ultimately good (Romans 8:28). And that depends largely on your reaction, whether or not you will incorporate His grace into your response.
For all of us, big news is around the corner. It’s up to you and your submission to God’s purposes that will determine if it will be good or bad for you in the end.
“As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people.” –Genesis 50:20 (NLT)