Pessimism: Satan Wants to Steal Your Joy

WHAT IS PESSIMISM?

Merriam-Webster defines pessimism as “an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome.” 

Pessimists tend to see the glass as half-empty.  Some believe that bad events will be long-lasting.  Some believe that unhappiness and disappointment are normal.  Some believe that bad events are their fault.  Many pessimists deal with negative self-talk.  Negatives feel more honest than the positives.  Self-criticism makes us feel down and then the negative statements resonate with our feelings.  Once this spiral begins, we tend to dwell on the negative and become more pessimistic.  Sometimes pessimism comes in the form of a coping device for people who are uncomfortable and/or fearful with moving into uncharted territories.  Serious pessimism can take some of the joy out of life, and extreme pessimism can be debilitating.

Satan loves to steal our joy and place emphasis on the adverse aspects, conditions and possibilities we are facing in our lives.  What a convincing liar he is.

PESSIMISTIC OR CAUTIOUS?

It is sometimes easier to reason that your pessimism is just practicality and cautiousness, and in some cases it may be.  There can be a fine line between pessimism and cautiousness, and you will ultimately have to decide whether your feelings are based on fear or reason.  Pessimism is not always bad; it can be healthy in small doses and in certain situations.  Those small doses help protect you and others, but a pessimistic attitude should not dominate your life.

Under most circumstances, I’m normally a practical and cautious person, basing things on reason.  However, I must admit that there were times in the past I had a purely pessimistic attitude.  Sometimes it would be based on fear of the unknown and sometimes it would be based purely on negative self-talk and thoughts.  (I have found that pessimism for me in the past many times came directly hand-in-hand with low self-esteem.)

If your pessimism has a defeated negativity attached, perhaps you need to change the way you think.

OVERCOMING A PESSIMISTIC ATTITUDE

Don’t allow Satan to rob you of a fulfilling life.  By the grace of God, you can overcome a pessimistic attitude – condition your mind to focus on positive and productive ways that lead to effective actions.

Repent of your sins.  As long as we ignore, conceal, or excuse sin, Satan will be given authority to torment us with destructive thoughts.  As the Lord exposes sin in your life, repent and be cleansed of all unrighteousness.

Focus on the possibilities, not the impossibilities.  Stay positive!  Look for some good in everything.  Anyone can find flaws in anything when looked at closely enough.  Don’t give in to negative thoughts or negative self-talk.  Rise above this and remember that there is a silver lining in every cloud if you take the time to look for it.  This does not mean that you are denying reality; you are just looking at the situation from a different perspective…a positive perspective.  “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8 NLT)

Remove the negative self-talk and worry.  Remind yourself that negative, generalized statements keep you from reaching the full potential the Lord has for your life.  You have the power to think differently.  Focus on who God says you are, speaking His positive powerful words to your life and exercising your faith.  “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NLT)

Overcome the challenge.  When a task seems overwhelming, pessimism can creep in and negativity can take over.  The job may seem too big and too difficult to complete, so why bother?  What do you do?  Ask yourself this, “How do you eat an elephant?”  One bite at a time!  Break the task down into manageable bites and you’ll devour that elephant before you know it.  “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13 NLT)

Surround yourself with positive and encouraging Christian people.  Why do football teams have cheerleaders?  They are there to cheer the team on with positive, encouraging words.  Get yourself a cheering section and let the encouragement of others drive you forward!  Don’t forget to reciprocate; encourage others in return.   “Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.” (Romans 15:32 NLT)

Learn from past negative experiences, don’t dwell on them.  A bad experience is just that, a one time occurrence that you shouldn't allow to affect the rest of your life.  Learn from that experience and refuse to allow the past to affect your present and future.  God has our best interests in mind, even when circumstances seem to the contrary.  “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

Forgive others.  Holding on to something someone else has done to you can make you pessimistic toward that person.  If you find yourself having a hard time forgiving others, remember you, too, have sin and require forgiveness.  “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32 NLT)

Serve others.  Nothing uplifts us more than doing something for another person.  Get into the world and look for ways to make it better.  “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28 NLT)

Choose to be happy.  Life is chock full of choices.  Deciding to be happy and positive is one of them.  You don’t just wake up and discover that your world is full of sunshine; you have to make it happen!  You choose how you feel and respond to situations in life, choose to be positive and happy no matter what comes your way.  Let the Lord shine his light through you.  “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT)

Seek God’s deliverance.  Ask the Lord to deliver you from discouragement.  Put your trust in Him and wait on Him.  “In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.  Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.” (Psalm 33:21-22)

Thank God for what you have.  Look around and count your blessing.  You will be amazed at how good the Lord has been to you.  Make the conscious decision to be genuinely thankful for what you have as opposed to dwelling on what you do not have.  Don’t let society’s greed for ‘more, more, more’ block your sight of being appreciative for what you have.  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6 NKJV)

HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY?

So, is your glass half-empty or half-full?  The answer is that it is always full!  It is half filled with water and half filled with air.  The glass is never empty.  The same holds true for our lives.  Our lives are never empty.  We are filled with the love of Christ and because of that, we are always full!

If you find yourself falling to the Murphy’s law mindset – “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” – remember that this is completely opposed to the truths of the Bible.  Change your mindset to say, “Anything that can go right, will go right, and it will happen in God’s perfect timing.” 

Remember, your strength and ability does not come from yourself but from God.  Enjoy your life; it is God’s gift to you!