Receive Good News with an Honest Heart

“And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.”

Genesis 45:25-28 KJV

The message was almost too much for Jacob to take in. A son he had mourned was alive and held authority in Egypt. His difficulty believing was understandable after so many years of grief. The news reached him through words and visible evidence that supported those words.

Read the passage carefully

Faith is not helped by pretending evidence does not matter. Biblical faith trusts the God who has spoken truthfully and acted in history. The gospel announces Christ's death for our sins and His bodily resurrection. It does not ask us to believe that any pleasant claim must be true simply because we want relief. We should examine what is said and receive reliable testimony with appropriate care.

There are also times when long disappointment makes us unwilling to accept kindness that is actually present. We expect the promise to fail or the person to leave, and we keep a good gift at a distance. Healing that guardedness may take patience and support. Begin by acknowledging the facts before you. Let trustworthy conduct count, even if your emotions need longer to follow.