Optimistic or Pessimistic

How do you view the things in your life? With optimism or pessimism? Is your glass half full or half empty? When something happens to you, do you immediately look for the good or are the first words that come out of your mouth, “ I knew if anything would go wrong it would happen to me.” When your thoughts are controlled by a negative pessimistic view point it is hard to see the good in any situation. You imagine the worst possible outcome in everything and hold it as an expectation. There is evidence to support your belief that things will go wrong, because you are choosing to think they will. Where is your hope and where does your joy come from? Words that come to my mind are, bleak, gloomy, cynical, hopeless and downhearted. Feelings may be, “ what is the use, nothing good never happens anyway, or what next?” Hebrews 10:35 -- Therefore do not cast away your confidence which is your great reward.” Being pessimistic is counter productive to a faith filled life. It is like a beautiful garden whose beauty cannot be seen because the gardener did not tend to all the weeds that have grown up around the beautiful flowers. The only thing that you will be able to see are the weeds.
Hebrews 12:1 reminds us that in order to run a good race, we must leave behind all the things that hinder us from running a good race. Optimism is a learned attitude of faith. It is truly believing that God works all things together for good. When you are pessimistic what do you say to yourself? Do you ever just take a few minutes to ask yourself why you are thinking or feeling that way? Do you think the worst is going to happen no matter what-not even being sure what is going to happen? What happened to thinking the best? Even if the situation did not happen to have the best outcome, you still could land up with something good from that situation. “ How are you going to know unless your try?” Think about the most hilarious outlandish outcome that you can think of. I know this sounds a little silly -- but isn’t that what you are doing when you are being pessimistic? Ask yourself, “ why do I believe that, why do I think that?” Having pessimistic thoughts lead to doubts that will eventually become truth to you. This is horrible disservice to yourself.
Prove it to yourself. Everything begins in the mind. Focusing on the negative is counter productive. Soon the negative is all you will be able to see. Learn to look for a silver lining in the dark clouds. Expect God to bring good out of a bad situation. Choose to be optimistic. Have eyes of faith. See every stumbling block as a stepping stone. Come before God and ask Him to wash the windows of your soul -- to cleanse all the pessimism, replacing all the negative defeating thoughts with positive affirmations of faith and hope. Stop looking for what you want to look for and seeing what you want to see -- learn to look in optimism and in faith. Look at the doughnut instead of the hole. Compare what you are thinking to God’s word -- does it line up with what God says. Ask yourself why you are thinking the way you are thinking. For every negative thought counter act it with a positive thought. Remember if you do something for 21 days, will become a habit. Then enjoy your doughnut and your half cup of coffee.
Father: Life is never really smooth-it has it’s ups and it’s downs. We love the up times but we hate the down times. Sometimes after so many difficulties and disappointments, it is hard to believe for the best. We become cynical and jaded in our thinking and lose sight of the fact that you work all things together for our good. Wash the windows of our heart - give us eyes of faith in the down times. Amen.
This week if you have negative thoughts, think of a positive thought to counteract the negative thought and then thank God who loves you. Have a blessed week.
Janice CR FBC NW Arkansas Encourager Coach-Team