Overcoming Pessimism #1 of 2
Exert taken from book Overcomers, A Study on Gaining Victory Over the Obstacles in Life by Jeffrey Bush
Pessimism is a tendency to see the worst of things or believe the worst will happen. Pessimism is defeatism, negativity, doom and gloom, cynicism, hopelessness, depression, despair, or despondency.
In 2017, a Gallup poll said that 85% of people hate the job that they are currently doing. I do not believe that means most people need to change jobs, it probably means that most people need to change their attitude.
Being negative is more of a heart attitude than a personality issue. Your past problems, current circumstances, family flaws, or mishaps in life certainly affect your feelings, but they do not have to force you to become a negative person. The wisest man in the world, King Solomon, stressed for his son to “guard his heart,” for from the heart is born every other issue (Proverbs 4:23). It’s as if he says that criticism, condemnation, and confusion will be hurled your way from the outside, but you don’t have to let them past the inner gates of your heart. You can daily build up the walls of your heart or restore the ones that are currently torn down. You don’t have to blame your pessimism on your personality, circumstances, or past problems. You can decide to overcome the negativity and change. I pray this chapter will challenge you to rethink how you perceive life. If you’re going to overcome pessimism, you should check out what God says about your attitude and decide to take His advice.
Understand the truth about complaining.
Allow me to ask you a couple of questions. Does God know you and your needs? Has God ever failed you in the past? Is God capable of providing for you? If you are a child of God, you already know the answer to these questions. Yet when you complain, essentially you are saying God doesn’t take care of you. Complaining is not praising God, if anything, it’s praising the devil. No child of God wants to give room for the devil to work, but complaining swings that door wide open and welcomes the devil to wreak havoc.
Immediately after the apostle Paul said that the Israelites had pushed God’s buttons by complaining and were destroyed by serpents, he states that it was an example to give us instruction (1 Corinthians 10:10). Take heed. God doesn’t like complaining. Complaining shows an attitude of ungratefulness and it seems to test God’s patience. Later, in another letter, Paul said to do all without murmuring/complaining (Philippians 2:14). No parent wants to hear from their children that they’re a lousy parent that can’t or won’t provide for them. Neither does God delight in hearing His children complain about His care for them.
When you complain, you begin to focus on the negative and lose sight of all the good things. God has been good to you! If you were to get out a piece of paper right now and list the good things God has given you, two things would happen: First, you would realize how good you really have it. Second, you would quit being so pessimistic. In fact, you wouldn’t have a reason to be negative. Your complaints make you and everyone else focus on the negative. Turn your complaining into praising!
Control your attitude.
You can’t control the circumstances, but you can control your attitude. It’s easy to pick up the victim mentality and become pessimistic. There are many reasons why things happen in life, but you must not forget that God likely wants to use the difficult moments to teach and grow you. You are commanded to have joy even when you face trials (James 1:2-4). Sadly, many people face hard times and become bitter, angry, depressed, or victimized. No matter what happens or has happened to you, you can allow those things to draw you closer to God instead of giving you a pessimistic attitude. Let God take control of your attitude instead of letting your attitude turn you into a negative person!
It would do you good to remember that the afflictions in life are momentary, not permanent (2 Corinthians 4:17). During difficult times God is working on the inside of you.
As was stated in the introduction, my dad used to get on to me whenever I would say, “I can’t.” He would tell me that I could if I tried. The problem wasn’t my ability; it was my attitude. He would proceed to say, “You can say you won’t, but don’t say you can’t.” I needed to try harder. I needed to adjust my attitude. Looking back, I believe my dad understood much about life. Your attitude can push you forward or hold you back. Control your attitude before your negative attitude begins controlling you. But my dad isn’t the only one who thinks this way. Our loving God tells His children they are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), we can do all things through Him that strengthens us (Philippians 4:13), and that His promises are yea, and in Him, Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). There is no need to become stressed or negative when you have those promises! God’s promises don’t change. What needs to change is our attitude and dependence on His promises!