Imagine a person who never had alcohol before. How would he look after his first sip of a beer or another alcoholic  beverage? Would his facial expression change? Well, I think it would. Because he isn’t use to the taste. The more he would drink it, the less he would be surprised by its taste. I think that this applies to a lot of things in our lives. Good and bad things. The more we get used to it the less we are bothered or surprised by it.

When I wanted to apply for a University I wanted to be a journalism major. I loved to write, express myself and entertain others with it. At some point I realized that I had totally given up on reading the newspaper or anything that had to do with journalism. I came to the conclusion that this would be the wrong major for me. (Genious 😉 )

Now, about two years later, I’m still not reading newspapers or watching the news on tv. I just don’t want to know everything. I’ll explain to you why later. When I started my job at the airport, there were a few times I wasn’t helping customers (there weren’t any)  and opened a Swiss news outlet online. I only read two or three articles when I had to close it and just watch the race tracks turn around. That was definitely more relaxing than reading the exhausting and depressing things going on in the world.

Back to the example with the alcohol. After not reading the news, which basically contain bad news, my body was shocked. Maybe like the person who had alcohol for the first time. I wasn’t used to the taste of bad news anymore. I wasn’t used to the negativity anymore. I felt how every single bad news made it’s way down my throat and I realized that if I didn’t stop I would feel tipsy or drunk afterwards. In this particular moment I realized how I’ve been freed from all this stuff which doesn’t really matter to me. Here’s my explanation why I don’t need the news.

• I can’t help it or change it.
• What does it have to do with my life?
• Will it brighten my day?
• What does it help me to know all the bad news?

• Why should I read bad news when I have received the “good news”?!

I’m sure, because so many people read the news, particularly the bad news, they feel burdened by it. How could this ever be uplifting, help you through your day, if it tells you what horrible things happened 100’000 km away and you must realize that you’re angry but you can’t do anything against it. Why don’t we focus on the good news which was given to us?

I recently read a quotation:

“Most of us were taught that God would love us if and when we change. In fact, God loves you so that you can change. What empowers change, what makes you desirous of change, is the experience of love. It is that inherent experience of love that becomes the engine of change.”

Richard Rohr

If I want to see the good in people and the world I need to confront myself with it. The world with its news won’t. If I want to change, according to this quote, I need an experience with love. This love I find in God. The God who has given me the good news. My God who wants to make my day a good day and lift me up. My God who can change the bad things. It needs me to change the view on others, my way of thinking and where and with what I’m filling my mind and thoughts. I’m convinced that if people would fill their minds with good news their way of thinking and acting would change. This not only contains the news. It contains the books they are reading, music they are listening to and movies they are watching – you think of more.

So let’s be changed by the love of God. And get rid of habits which have distracted us from seeing the truth and good news.

P.s. A statement of a friend which I think is a pretty good way to deal and cope with this:

“I’ve realized that in order to cope with everything I read, I’ve started praying for what’s happening in the world instead. That’s just my way of dealing with it.”
You don’t have to totally agree with what I think is good, but I want to challenge you to overthink what and why you are doing what you are doing. 🙂