Are you a pessimistic Christian

Human beings tend to be caught in one of two cycles. A downward cycle of disappointment, or an upward cycle of blessing. We as humans are many times very pessimistic. We see the glass half empty. We often times focus more on our unmet needs than the goodness of God. We are a blessed people and although life is a struggle and obstacles arise, we are blessed.

Deep rooted and habitual pessimism is, after all, a spiritual problem. When we focus only on our needs we lose focus on God and the blessings that we have and are unprepared to receive more. Negative and the “woe is me” attitude will cause you to miss many of God’s blessings.

There is a profound blessing in knowing who God is and claiming His presence in your life. His greatness makes all other things, especially hard things, seem small. Be in a spirit of worship even in the hard times.

I am not immune to hard times and struggles. I have had many “dark” days in my life. As many of us, I have seen financial struggles beyond what I could ever take care of myself, family trials, marital trials and job trials. But through it all I have grown. I have grown to a point in God that I let him deal with it. Does that mean I never worry, of course not, but I worry a whole lot less and look for the blessing in the struggle, not focus on the struggle.

In Acts 16:25 it tells the story of Paul and Silas. They were in chains and in prison for their faith. They had a lot to worry about. But, in the midnight hour they started signing and praising God. The building shook and all doors were open and chains came off. And not just for Paul and Silas, but for everyone around them too.

Can you praise God in your midnight hour ? My challenge to you as well as to myself is to be careful to praise God, even in your darkest “midnight” hour. It’s not always easy, Satan wants you to look at the bad and not focus on the good. But you must look to God and find the blessing. List all the blessings in your life. God is a good God and His people are not immune to struggles, they will however, overcome.

I will leave you with this thought; 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus…