Rx for Bad News

By: Kathie Welch

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

...when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 56:3-4 (NLT)

Have you ever answered the phone and the person on the other end said: “I’m afraid I have some bad news.” If you're like me, your first reaction may have been “Oh no!” or “Not this, not now!” or it might have been “I can't deal with this news!”

Initial reactions like these are common, but if we're not careful, they can escalate into fear. Then, our fears may spiral into despair. When we're fearful and despondent, it's hard to find a solution to our problems. This downward spiral describes spiritual warfare in a nutshell. Our attitude toward our problems will usually affect our ability to overcome them.

Our enemy's name is Satan, and He wants us to be fearful, weak, and isolated. But all Christ followers have God on their side, and He has given us everything we need to resist Satan and fight our spiritual battles (Ephesians 6:11-18). But we can’t attempt to fight spiritual battles physically. We must rely on God for our strength and use the sword of His Word to resist Satan's attacks. Remember, when Satan attacked Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus quoted scripture and used it as a weapon.

The more we know God, the more we'll understand His faithfulness. God promises to provide for us (Philippians 4:19) and to give us His peace (John 14:27). Trusting God is how we overcome fear, despair, and hopelessness, and the better we know God's Word, the better equipped we are to handle "bad news."

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Knowing God personally helps us confidently approach Him in prayer. It also allows us to pray expectantly as we ask Him for strength, wisdom, and guidance. Praying to God (talking to Him) takes our attention off our problems and focuses it on His greatness. When we admit we are weak, God steps in to help us navigate life's obstacles. Instead of trying to fix things ourselves, we must pray for God's will to be done in every situation... and that includes our problems!

The next time you're confronted with bad news, don't allow fear and doubt to set in. Instead of focusing on the negative, obey these instructions from 1 Thessalonians:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18