Like so many professions right now, being a newspaper reporter brings precious little good news.

We read, and write, about viruses, civil unrest, hurricanes, political mudslinging, a struggling economy, and countless other negative stories. Some days, I read only the headlines, and my heart sinks. 

In the midst of this, it is so easy to let my heart get carried away with fear. And too often lately, I have.

But one phrase from Romans 8 in the New Living Translation caught my eyes on a recent morning, and really hit home. 

Paul, in describing the unshakable love of Jesus Christ, tells them, “...neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow ...” (v. 38)

The headlines in Paul’s day, especially for followers of Christ, were staggering. Paul begins to address some of those concerns which threatened to melt their hearts.

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?”

Sin was not too potent a foe for Him; death was not too strong an enemy. So our fears for today and our worries for tomorrow, as numerous as they often are, certainly are not too much for the Savior to handle.

But in the chaos of calamity, it is far too easy to lose sight of the basic truth of the conquering power.

Paul never denies the world around us can be an intimidating and frightening place. There are a great deal of very real dangers, both physical and spiritual.

He does, however, tell us those troubles, overwhelming though they may be, do not have to hold sway in our heart. 

Why?

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37, NLT)

This is a beautiful truth if we set our minds and hearts on it. 

Throughout the passage, Paul gives us a potent picture of the unbreakable power of God’s love for us in the sacrifice of Christ. It’s a love deep enough to lead him to a criminal’s death on a cross, but so mighty the grave could not hold Him.

It a world full of heart-rending headlines let this one be the one that captures you most.

If God is for us, who can ever be against us? He already won. 

Nothing can separate us from that.

Daniel Kiewel is a reporter with the Great Bend Tribune. He can be reached at dkiewel@gbtribune.com.