Let's face it; there is not much good news on the news broadcasting stations anymore. We have instant access to information on the internet, social media, and instant messenger, yet we are often only ever hearing bad news.
From the War in Ukraine to the dismissal of student loan forgiveness, we often are only hearing of bad news in the modern day. Since all we hear is bad news, many of us raise the question: is it okay to pray for good news?
Praying for Good News
If you are similar to me, you only want to hear good news. Sadly, it seems as though it's either bad news or no news. Instead of hearing about ongoing politics or ongoing wars, we want to hear about the good things that are going on in the world.
While there are good things going on in the world, most media channels are not going to highlight the good things.
This can be in part due to the human mind and how we tend to dwell on the negatives rather than being happy over the positives. It can be hard to change this frame of mind; however, it is crucial if we are going to be able to start truly praying for good news.
Praying for good news is perfectly okay. Many people might feel differently about this, but the Bible says nothing against praying for good news.
In fact, the gospel is known as the Good News. With this in mind, we can know that God wants us to pray for good things. God is 100% good, which can help remind us that God wants good things for the world.
God created the world good; however, it was mankind who destroyed it and turned the world evil. It is because of us that we have so many problems in the world.
Many people try to blame God or another higher force for what is happening, but it's actually our fault as humans for the gradual decline of the earth. This includes everything contained within the news and the horrible realities that are played out each day.
Praying for good news won't hurt anyone, as it is a great thing to pray for something good. When you are praying for good news, try to be more specific rather than just simply praying for good news.
Ask God specifically what kind of good news you want to be seeing, such as praying for the Russian-Ukraine war to be over or for human trafficking to end. Praying for things like these is a good use of our time and makes God happy when we turn to Him in prayer.
When we turn to God in prayer, we acknowledge our dependence on Him. If we choose not to go to Him in prayer, we are behaving as though we don't need Him. This might not be what you mean when you neglect to go to Him in prayer, but this is what is being conveyed to the Lord.
Try to dedicate time each day to go to Him in prayer, thank Him for what He does, and ask Him for His help. When you are asking for His help, ask Him to help more good news to start coming out, such as the ending of the war or better quality of life for those who live in poverty.
The possibilities for you to pray are endless. Maybe there is a specific good news headline you want to see that has been placed on your heart. Pray for this specific thing and watch what amazing things God can do.
It is important to mention here that God doesn't promise to answer all of our prayers with a yes. Rather, He will answer in one of three ways — yes, no, or wait.
This can be hard to ascertain sometimes; however, we can always trust God with the outcome of every situation. When we trust in God, we will have peace that surpasses understanding.
God loves us, and He loves the person we are praying for. Whether it is someone you know or just a people group, God loves them. Since God is love, we can trust Him always to make the right decision. God sees the whole picture, while we just have a piece of the picture.
Even though our prayer for good news might not be answered right away, we know that God is going to answer it in His timing.
As an example, you may have noticed I brought up the Russian-Ukraine War multiple times over the course of this article. It started a while ago, and I have been praying every day since it started for it to end.
Sadly, my prayer has not been answered with a yes yet; however, I am still praying, and I know God will bring about His purpose. Maybe you have also been praying for something that would fall under the lines of good news, and it has not been answered with a yes yet.
Just keep praying and going to God in prayer. You never wear God out with your prayers, nor is He ever annoyed with your prayers. Rather, He loves to hear from you and wants to help you to grow in your walk with Him.
Good News Is Right Around the Corner
Maybe it has been a long time since you have seen good news and you are overwhelmed with all of the bad news. Don't allow your heart to become hopeless. There are brighter and better days in the future.
Even if there continues to not be worldly good news, we know the Good News of knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. One day in the future, we will be with Him in heaven, and everything will be amazing. Whenever I get down because of the bad news or the bad things that happen in my life, I reflect upon this truth.
No matter how bad things get here, we know our eternal home isn't on Earth. It's with God for all eternity, in heaven and on the New Heaven and New Earth. Everything will not always be hard, but rather one day, all of our fears will be gone, and there will be no more days of agony.
All of our bad days will be a shadow of our past, and we will forever live in the sunlight of the Lord. There will be no more days of hopelessness, only days of love and worship of the Lord.
Why Does This Matter?
Therefore, there is nothing wrong with praying for good news. In fact, it is a great thing to pray for good news. Try to be specific in your prayers, and in this way, you'll be able to see more clearly when God answers your prayer.
It is a beautiful thing to see your prayer answered in a unique way by the Lord. Keep focusing on your prayer, and don't forget to praise God throughout your life, even if the prayer may never be answered with a yes.
We can trust God with the outcome whether that's a yes, no, or wait. He truly knows best, and we can always count on Him as He is the ultimate source of Good News.
For further reading:
Is it Okay to Pray for Happiness?
Is it Biblical to Find Happiness?
Should Godly Women Laugh Without Fear of the Future?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/vgajic
This article is part of our prayer resources meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.
Prayers for Healing
Morning Prayers
Prayers for Family
Prayers for Surgery
Prayers for Strength
Night Prayers Before Bed
Prayers for Protection
The Lord's Prayer: Our Father
