The 90-year-old waiting to hear that her macular degeneration has grown worse, the young mother waiting to hear whether her child’s hearing is permanently damaged, the widow waiting to hear that her broken pelvis will force her into a nursing facility, the 16-year-old waiting to hear if mononucleosis will keep him from playing football, the man without any family waiting to hear if chemotherapy must start immediately….
Waiting, waiting, and waiting some more for bad news.
People in waiting rooms don’t usually jump up and down for joy because they are expecting good news. Sometimes, yes, but normally? Instead, there’s more anxiety than hope. More pessimism than optimism. There’s fear of being disappointed, fear of pain, fear of the unknown. Waiting rooms are full of fear of bad news. A waiting room is a waiting room is a waiting room.
But God gave us a verse for such a time as this.
Written by an anonymous author, it’s a scripture for all of us who are known by God. A verse for the husband waiting to hear about his wife’s cancerous tumor or the woman waiting to hear if her mastectomy can be postponed or the man waiting to hear if he’ll ever laugh again or the child waiting to hear whether he can play outside with his friends once more. It’s a verse the psalmist proclaims for all who have faith in God, the giver of that faith.
“He will have no fear of bad news;
“His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD”
(Psalm 112:7 NIV).
“He will have no fear of bad news.”
“He will have no fear of bad news.”
“He will have no fear of bad news.”
Let’s paint that one on the walls of every waiting room we enter!
Better yet, let’s campaign to change the name of that room -- The ROOM OF NO FEAR or THE ROOM FULL OF HOPE or WAITING WITH HOPE or WAITING WITHOUT FEAR or……
In the meantime, I’m inscribing that verse on the walls of my heart and carrying it with me wherever I go.
Bad news is everywhere; the fear of it doesn’t have to be.
Lord,
May my heart be firmly unshaken, filled with trust, confident in your care, and without fear of bad news.
Amen.
“He need not fear a bad report, for his heart is unshaken, since he trusts in the LORD” (International Standard 2012).
“They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them” (New Living 2007).
“He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD” (English Standard 2001).
“He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD” (KJ Cambridge).