Every Wednesday I have lunch with a group of friends. One of my friends, who is a sincere Christian with a strong faith, has begun to grumble and criticize, a lot. He is not at all happy with much of what is happening in the world we live in. Recently, I interrupted him. I agreed with some of his frustration but pointed out much of what he is complaining about is not new. It’s the same old stuff, just a different day. But, from national politics, to world affairs, to the local school district, my friend sees problems and for most, believes he has a fix. From my view some of what he wants to fix isn’t even broke. Others around the lunch table joined our conversation and as you might guess, opinions varied considerably.
Thinking about our discussion as I left that day and started for home, I wondered. Why do some see the proverbial glass of water half empty and others see it half full? Is there a Biblical message here, or a lesson to be learned?
Psalm 43:5 NIV reads, "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."
In Philippians 4:19 NIV, Paul states, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus."
My friend’s complaints stem from doubt. We live in uncertain times. Poverty, climate change, school shootings, the war in Ukraine, an uncertain economy, Covid 19, and it goes on. His negative attitude is certainly understandable. However, God desires that we live with hope and faith. We can choose to trust God for everything, or we can doubt. Note, the operative word is choose. We can choose. We can choose to be optimistic or we can choose to be pessimistic. The decision is ours. Choosing to be optimistic will not only make a positive change in our personal attitude, it will also generate some positive effect on the world around us.
Personally, I try every morning to thank God for another day and all that He has given me. I then promise to do my best to live that day with a positive outlook and an encouraging attitude.
How do you see your glass?