{"id":3112,"date":"2017-07-17T05:52:51","date_gmt":"2017-07-17T11:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert\/?p=3112"},"modified":"2017-07-18T14:22:41","modified_gmt":"2017-07-18T20:22:41","slug":"optimism-pessimism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert\/optimism-pessimism\/","title":{"rendered":"An Optimistic View of a Pessimistic World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

If you\u2019re a pessimist, these are the best of times. There\u2019s plenty of proof that the world has gone mad \u2014 A political war that is intent on ridicule, division at all levels of society, an endless supply of victims, and then terrorism that seems to find no end.<\/p>\n

The pessimist has got to be feeling a little smug. Yes, you told us so.<\/em><\/p>\n

Looking for the dark side of the moon<\/h3>\n

Getting some people to see any glimmer is nearly impossible. They have the uncanny ability to stare down the brightest light until they force it to go dark.<\/p>\n

I worked with a coworker who just brought everyone down with him. He was certain the world was against him, or at least plotting against him. There was never a good day without a pain, a bad relationship or a fight to pick. Darkness followed him.<\/p>\n

I have a relative who would rather see the sin than the grace, the wrongs more than the rights, the punishment over the salvation. The joy of heaven is drowned out by the shouts of finding yet another fault in someone.<\/p>\n

I have people who pick apart every word I write on this page, finding error with me, or the church, or the world. Bleakness seems to be their only friend.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m being honest here. I often take some comfort in my own grumblings and\u00a0revel in my mumblings. I have some fellow\u00a0soldiers\u00a0in this battle to the bottom, and we all drag our feet and become slaves to the steady, droll drumbeat of an apathetic world. After all, it takes zero work to look at the dark side of situations.<\/p>\n

\"ben-white-600x316\"<\/a>
\nBen White<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Do everything without complaining <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some Scripture needs to be understood, or translated or studied. Some just stands on it\u2019s own, like\u00a0Phillipians 2:14.<\/a>\u00a0\u201cDo everything without complaining or arguing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unsettling? Try downright frightening for some of us. To live and speak everything without complaint or argument punctures a hole in the Bad Ship Lollipop. It sinks the comfortable, negative world. It suddenly changes the world view away from me and my cranky attitude.<\/p>\n

Be positive? How?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>It starts with a different vision \u2013 a way to see things that are unseen. To see this world through the Father\u2019s eyes.\u00a0It means finding good in the bad, hope out of the hopeless, and blessings out of brokenness.<\/p>\n

Are you struggling with pessimism right now? What are you doing to help combat it? <\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a pessimist, these are the best of times. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2375,"featured_media":3114,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1676,1677],"class_list":["post-3112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-optimism","tag-pessimism"],"yoast_head":"\nAn Optimistic View of a Pessimistic World<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It starts with a different vision \u2013 a way to see things that are unseen. 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