If you’ve been following current events, you know there hasn’t been much good news lately.  But there is good news to be found if you look in the right places.

God commonly uses hardship as a way to get our attention, open our eyes, and show us where we need to get back on track with Him.  If we are willing to accept our need for His correction, we will be able to see what steps He would have us follow to experience His blessing again.  That’s good news.

It’s good news to realize that in the midst of our difficulties we have an opportunity to return to those fundamentals that are essential to stability and prosperity.  And what are those fundamentals to which we must return?  Here are a few of them.

First, personal responsibility.  This generation has become accustomed to what has been aptly called, “the nanny state.”  Under the nanny state, the government sees itself as having the role of rescuing and providing for everyone who has a need – without regard to their responsibility.

Well, there’s an opportunity for that to change.  As the list of companies looking for a bailout grows by the day, it’s becoming clearer that the nanny state is in over her head.  She needs to repent of her promises of false security and return to policies that require personal responsibility.  That’s good news.

Second, the family.  It’s been said that if you have money, it increases your options.  That’s true.  But not all the options are good.  How many divorces have taken place over the past decade because it was financially possible?  How many young adults have remained alienated from their parents because they made enough money to not need their help?  Plenty.

Well, that’s changing too.  Divorce isn’t so financially feasible these days.  Young adults are having a harder time finding a decent paying job.  The result?  People are finding that they need to get along with their spouses and family members.  Hard times help to compel families to work and stick together.  That’s more good news.

Third, church and community.  When you’ve got all you want, it doesn’t take much to harden your heart and think you have no need for God or others.  But take away the good life you thought you had, and you realize you’re not so self-sufficient after all.  You see  the need to break out of your isolation and come before God and attach yourself to others.  And that’s still more good news.

Why are these things so?  Because there is a God in heaven.  And though we may ignore Him, we can’t escape Him.  He will always pursue us in order that we would fulfill our part in the redemption of this afflicted world.  And that leads us to the best news of all.

Jesus Christ has come into this world, full of grace and truth, in order to restore humanity to Himself and lead us in His way.   “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him” (Jn.3:17).