Joy in a Bad News World
Joy is difficult to feel when we are surrounded by bad news all the time. And we have been surrounded by bad news - all the time! I'm not sure if this is reality, but it seems like we go through something horrible in our world and just as we are coming out of it we are hit with another atrocity. My hunch is that there are actually always bad things happening in this huge world we live in, but there are also always good things happening in the world.
I'm not here to be the media critic that blames "the news" for everything, but I know that major news sources report on bad news far more than good news. I remember when I was a kid and watching the news and thinking about how I wasn't sure we all needed to watch a house on fire with the family outside crying. But the news loved to show that stuff. And the media would leave before showing the beautiful stories of the community caring for that family. You get my point.
People actually get addicted to bad news. We crave that hit in our brain chemistry. And most of us start our day with it by reading the news and then end our day by watching the news.
So how do we have joy in a bad news world?
1. Perspective
Perspective is an interesting thing. It can be used as a weapon against people with genuine trauma and I don't mean to do that. I talk more about perspective in my book, God Joy, so I don't want to go into it too much here. But recognize that God sees things from an eternal perspective and the more we can see our life in that way, the more we will be able to sustain our joy through suffering.
2. Don't start your day with it
Don't let social media, the newspaper, TV news, or online news be the first thing you read in the morning. Read a Psalm, pray the Lord's prayer or use a simple devotional book. Just don't ingest what the algorithms and the corporations have designed to capture your heart. Open your heart to God first thing in the morning.
3. Don't watch TV news - EVER
Nothing good comes from watching TV news. Just turn it off completely. I promise that your life will be better.
4. Follow some "good news" accounts
A bunch of these have popped up on social media in the last couple years. These aren't necessarily "Christian" but they are good. I like Good News Movement, but just search "good news" in your social media search engines and you will find it. Just the fact that these exist shows you how much we need it.
5. Start and end your day with the real "good news" - the gospel.
Again, just read a short portion of the story of Jesus or a Psalm or a couple Proverbs. Simply make God's News be the first and last thing you think about each day. I promise it will increase your joy.
6. Remember that joy is found in community.
We need people around us that will share their good news with us and that we can all hold each other up through the bad news - both the bad news of the world and the bad news of our personal lives.
7. Try reading God Joy - I bet that might help too!
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
