How should you react to receiving bad news? How do we face it without falling apart, without despair, or making things worse?

One thing is certain: bad news will come at some point in life. And when it comes, it hits us like a blow under the belt. So, if you’re not prepared, you may end up falling.

See what Psalm 112 says about this:

“He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” Psalm 112:7

This psalm shows us that we must be prepared before the bad news comes so we can face it firmly and victoriously. Next, I share three essential actions to deal with bad news:

1 – Fear God and take pleasure in His commandments

“Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments.” Psalm 112:1

Fear of the Lord should be the priority of our lives. When we fear God, we don’t fear anything or anyone else. Jesus Himself taught that we should not fear those who can kill the body but the One who can throw body and soul into hell—that is, God (Matthew 10:28).

Therefore, all authority and power belong to Him. And when our heart is based on this fear, we are not shaken by the bad news. God becomes our shield, our guarantee, our security.

Even in the face of the worst news, you can cling to Him and hold firmly in His hand. And He will strengthen you to resist.

2 – Trust in God

“He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” Psalm 112:7

The second step is trust. Trusting God means accepting He is in control, even without knowing how, when, or why.

We trust many things in our daily lives without being totally sure, like when taking medicine, trusting that it was prescribed correctly and manufactured according to the right formula. We didn’t test the medicine; we just took it.

This is faith in God: even without seeing, we trust. The heart steadfast in God is the antidote against despair, anxiety and fear of the questions that arise in difficult times: And now? What am I going to do?

Trust prevents us from letting bad news invade our hearts and take the ground from beneath our feet.

3 – Ask yourself: “What can I do about it?”

I just received bad news. What now? What can I do within my reach?

Give what is not in your hands to God. But do what’s within your reach. Focus your strength and energy on what you can accomplish—and act.

This way, you will cross the storm without fear and with confidence. There will come a time when you will look back and see how strong you were and how God guided you in that time of tribulation.

In summary:

1. Live in the fear of God constantly.

2. Trust 100% in Him, in His Word and character.

3. Ask yourself: “What can I do about it now?”

What is beyond that is in God’s hands.

Follow this message in full in the video above.