There Is Still Good Happening in the World

In a world overwhelmed by headlines of disaster and division, it’s easy to believe that everything is unraveling. But what if the reality is more hopeful than we think?

While pain and injustice still demand our prayers and action, we often miss the quiet, persistent signs of healing and progress those moments that remind us God is still present and active in this world. Here are five real-world stories that don’t just feel good; they affirm that renewal is real and hope is not naïve.

1. Gen Z Is Rediscovering Faith

Against all odds and cultural expectations, a growing number of young people are turning toward not away from faith.

According to the American Bible Society, Bible engagement among Gen Z men rose by 19% between 2023 and 2024. And Barna Group data shows that the percentage of Gen Z men who identify as “committed Christians” jumped from 52% in 2019 to 67% in 2023.

In the UK, the trend is equally surprising. Church attendance among 18- to 24-year-olds rose from 4% in 2020 to 21% in 2023, according to the Bible Society. Much of this resurgence is credited to growing cultural instability, spiritual hunger, and a desire for genuine community.

This is not a mass exodus it’s a quiet return. And it’s happening in a generation many had written off as lost.

2. Diseases Are Being Defeated in Africa

In public health, few stories are more encouraging than what’s happening across the African continent. In just five years, over a dozen countries have eliminated at least one major neglected tropical disease (NTD) including river blindness, Guinea worm, and lymphatic filariasis.

In 2023, Ghana became the first country to completely eliminate sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis), a disease that was once both common and deadly in rural communities.

According to the World Health Organization, over 1.6 billion people are now protected from NTDs thanks to long-term, community-based efforts and improved access to clean water and care.

It’s proof that faithful, sustained work especially when centered around compassion and equity can transform generations.

3. Global Poverty Is Reaching Record Lows

This one rarely makes the front page, but it should.

The World Bank reports that the percentage of people living in extreme poverty (defined as less than $2.15 per day) fell below 8% in 2024 the lowest in recorded history. In 1990, that number stood at nearly 36%.

While the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily stalled progress, many countries have rebounded with force. In places like India, Indonesia, and Ethiopia, increased access to education, electricity, healthcare, and clean water is making a measurable difference—not just in income, but in human dignity.

This isn’t just an economic milestone. It’s a glimpse of what justice looks like when the global Church, nonprofits, and governments work together.

4. Coral Reefs Are Showing Signs of Life

Years of warnings about ecological collapse have led many to assume coral reefs among the world’s most vital ecosystems are doomed. But 2023 brought unexpected news: large sections of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef now have more coral cover than at any point in the past 36 years.

This fragile recovery is attributed to reduced agricultural runoff, better conservation strategies, and scientific advances in growing heat-resistant coral. In Florida, marine biologists are even transplanting these “climate-smart” species into endangered reefs with promising results.

The work isn’t over. But the message is clear: nature can heal. And thoughtful stewardship is not futile it’s fruitful.

5. More People Are Leaving Prison and Staying Free

Criminal justice reform in the U.S. is seeing signs of hope.

New data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that of the individuals released from state prisons in 2012, over 62% remained out of prison five years later. That’s a significant improvement over past decades.

What’s behind the change? Expanded access to education programs, mental health care, and community reentry support. In several states, churches and nonprofits are partnering with local governments to help people find housing, work, and dignity after incarceration.

Restorative justice is no longer just a theory. It’s becoming a reality one changed life at a time.

What This Means for Us

These stories won’t dominate the news cycle. They won’t go viral like controversy does. But they matter.

They matter because they remind us that God hasn’t gone silent. They matter because they show us what love looks like when it moves beyond sentiment into action. And they matter because they invite us to participate in the good that is already unfolding.

As followers of Jesus, our hope isn’t in headlines it’s in the unshakable truth that He is always at work, even in small and unseen ways. But it’s still worth noticing the moments that prove it.

So take heart. God is moving. Lives are changing. Light is breaking through.

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