Finding hope amid negativity

We live in a culture desperate for good news of any kind. That's understandable, since what fills most of our newsfeeds, social media channels, and subscription programming is little more than an endless and mindless stream of human tragedy.

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This article was first published in Tabletalk, the Bible study magazine of Ligonier Ministries. Find out more at TabletalkMagazine.co.uk or try it free for three months today at TryTabletalk.co.uk.
We live in a culture desperate for good news of any kind. That’s understandable, since what fills most of our newsfeeds, social media channels, and subscription programming is little more than an endless and mindless stream of human tragedy.
Combine that with the fact that the average Westerner spends several hours per day on his or her phone, and you have the recipe for a culture of negativity. If one has the temerity to proclaim basic scriptural truths such as total depravity, he can expect to be shouted down by a weary populace longing for hope.
I want to persuade you that Christians should be the most hopeful, optimistic people that others ever encounter. This is not because we bury our heads in the sand and plug our ears to avoid anything negative. No, we should be optimists because of what Jesus has done for us and promised us.
In this article, we will try to get a basic understanding of why there is so much negativity in our culture. Then we’ll look at what Jesus prescribes for hope. We’ll conclude with what I pray will be some practical steps to shine the light of gospel hope in a hopeless world.