Circumstances we weren’t expecting will happen. There are things we can’t plan for such as natural disasters, disease, and the unwelcome actions of others. Yet, generally, we are better off when we search for good things. This proverb answers the question, “Why is it better to search for good?”
“If you search for good, you will find favor;
Proverbs 11:27 (NLT)
but if you search for evil, it will find you!”
We really do find what we search for. Jesus said it well in Matthew 7:7. We will find what we search for. That can be troubling when we seem to find only bad news these days.
In fact, it is much more challenging for us today to find good. Mass media and social media aren’t helping us. It seems while we are starting to wind down a pandemic, war and inflation have given us more to worry about.
Unfortunately, we don’t have to search much to find bad news. But that makes it that much more important to search diligently for the good.
Several years back, my wife and I read Mark Batterson’s devotional, The Circle Maker. One passage referred to 2 Corinthians 10:5 and the phrase, “Take captive every thought.” It was a stark reminder to me how our thought life must be disciplined, especially today.
Good Balanced with World’s Needs
This isn’t a call to pretend everything is awesome when it isn’t. We live in a broken world that needs fixing. Broken people need help that we can’t, nor should we ignore. We aren’t compassionate if we pretend everything is great when there are so many needs.
However, we won’t find any solutions if we are focused on how bad things are. We can bring hope to others. In addition, we can help those who need a hand when we know we can be part of the solution.
There is hope and a solution when we search for it. That is why it is so important to search for the good in the world. If it just isn’t out there, perhaps we can make some good happen.
