"Help, O LORD, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have
vanished from the earth!" Psalm 12:1 NLT
One look at the glass determined my perspective.
The illustration has age but holds validity. What I classify a glass
partially filled with liquid determines whether or not I'm an optimist or
pessimist-and determines how I view life. Seeing it half full makes me an
optimist. Seeing it half empty classifies me as a pessimist. Being the
pessimist requires little effort. Being an optimist takes work.
The list of apparently negative things that have entered my life is lengthy:
preacher's kid, divorce, financial meltdown, broken family, rebellious
children, unemployment, false accusations, rejection, betrayal. How I view
those unfortunate circumstances determines whether or not I'm an optimist or
pessimist.
Listening to the psalmist' statement, he appears as a pessimist. He needed
help. In his eyes, the godly were vanishing. He doesn't say what made him
think so. Perhaps it involved his perspective.
As when the prophet Elisha's servant awoke to find himself and his master
surrounded by enemy forces. Elisha prayed for God to give his servant a
proper perspective-and He did. "The LORD opened the young man's eyes, and
when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with
horses and chariots of fire" (2 Kings 6:17).
God wants optimists in His service, not pessimists. But how do we get there?
By remembering God is omnipotent-all-powerful. In the twenty-first century,
young people are leaving the churches by the thousands. Traditional religion
that has no impact on people's lives disgusts them. The picture may appear
bleak, but Jesus reminds us that the gates of hell will not prevail against
His church. While many leave American churches, thousands flock to church in
other countries.
When it appears I can't face the dire circumstances assaulting me, God gives
me strength and wisdom to walk through them. He promises to walk by my side,
that He will never leave or forsake me. He never leaves me alone. God's
Spirit-God Himself-resides in me continually.
It truly is a matter of perspective. How we look at life determines whether
we're a pessimist or an optimist. When we look at it from God's viewpoint,
we can't help but discover optimism. And when our outlook changes, so will
how we face it.
Be an optimist. God controls your life. Face it in His strength. You'll be
amazed at how things change.
Prayer: Father, enable us to view life from Your perspective.
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.