In a World of Pessimism, Be a Christian Optimist

Christians, just to be clear that we are on the same page, are those individuals who have received the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ by faith. This is the simple yet profound truth that a sinner who deserves to die is set free because Jesus Christ has died the death that sinner deserves. In short, the sinner deserves to die, but instead Jesus dies so that the individual can live. All of this is by grace through faith.

That is important because the optimism that I am talking about in this article is rooted in that reality. That is an eternal optimism, but it is not merely an eternal optimism—it is an optimism that every Christian should bear no matter their circumstances. That statement comes from the fact that I believe that God uses everything, good and bad, to make us better (that is, more holy, more like Christ, internally and externally).

Now a word about the pessimistic age we live in. Unfortunately, this is not merely a worldly indictment, but one that includes a large portion of Christians. The case I am making is that Christians should promote optimism in this life.

Think about the percentage of what you hear that is good versus bad, or what is getting better versus worse. Even more interesting, how much of what goes on in a person's mind is good versus bad, or getting better versus worse?

I had a conversation with a young lady the other day at a doctor's office. We were talking about going on vacation, and she was complaining that her parents were on vacation while she was not. But she said her 20th birthday was next week, and that conversation led to me saying to her, "Life gets better as you get older. Don't believe what people tell you about it getting worse."

As Christians, is this not the mindset we should have? But I am certain that many who read this post will automatically come up with disclaimers to my comment to her.

What about age? Our bodies experience aches, pains, sickness, and ultimately death. That seems worse.

What about finances? We get more responsibilities as we get older that demand we pay for them.

What about relationships? People come and go, and hurt happens. Marriage is hard, singleness is hard, parenting is hard, and grandparenting is hard.

It doesn't sound like things are getting better to me. It sounds like things are getting worse. The slope of our age is a downward slope towards pessimism.

The difference between optimism and pessimism is centrally, in my opinion, about mindset. More specifically, it is about how we interpret the circumstances of life.

Take anything we just said:

- Is marriage hard? Yes, but it's also glorious!
- Is parenting hard? Yes, but it's also so rewarding!
- Are relationships hard? Yes, but they are also so necessary!
- And on and on. It's all about mindset.

Here is the gut punch. That young lady whom I told "life gets better" responded to me and said, "Are you serious? I have never heard someone tell me that. People only say it gets worse and I should live it up while I am young."

Now, does that sound Christian? Surely that young lady has encountered a Christian or two in her lifetime, and yet she had apparently never heard someone speak so positively about getting older.

These kinds of articles are hard to write and also hard to read, because there are always gaps to be filled in. There are obviously difficult things that come up in life—suffering, trials, loss, pain—but Christians should never be characterized by negativity or pessimism.

This article is not merely a foundationless, Bibleless, convictionless plea for some fake kind of cheerful thinking. There have been many false teachings that have arisen in the name of "positive thinking." I am talking about a kind of optimism that is rooted in a basic understanding of who God is and what God intends to do in the lives of His children. And it is a positive, optimistic understanding, not a negative, pessimistic one.

Here it is: God uses ALL things to make us less like our natural selves and more like Him.

Paul understood this basic truth. Galatians 2:20 — "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

As a Christian, how can you read that verse and be pessimistic? Why is anything difficult in life glorious for us as believers? Because we believe that God is using it for our good and for His glory.

Romans 8:28 — "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

And what exactly is the good that God is working toward? The very next verse tells us.

Romans 8:29 — "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."

There it is! The good that God is working in all things is our conformity to Christ. That means even the things we would naturally consider bad are being used by God to accomplish something wonderfully good. Our circumstances may not always improve, but God is always at work making His children more like His Son. Now that is reason for optimism!

Marriage? Hard, but a picture of the gospel.

Parenting? Hard, but a picture of the Father's love and discipline for His children.

Suffering and trials? Hard, but an opportunity to turn to Christ, who suffered on our behalf.

Christian optimism is the disposition of a person who believes this. And we should spend our minutes, hours, and days thinking on such things.

Philippians 4:8 — "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

Brothers and sisters, there are too many proverbial 20-year-olds thinking that life is negative and only gets worse. They are deceived and are being deceived by a world full of pessimists.

In a world of pessimism, be a Christian optimist. Why? Because Jesus Christ is alive and well, and He offers hope and salvation to all who believe. Go tell someone about how good He is instead of how bad life is!

All Glory Be To Christ!

Ryan Wade