"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."--Hebrews 11:1(NLT)
We hear a lot of talk about the power of "positive thinking". We even coach our children to "think positive" and not to be negative. We know that thinking positive is good. It is something we practice and do. We also know the detriments of negative thinking and pessimism. It's no fun being in the company of "Johnny Raincloud" or "Debbie Downer". Pessimists are draining. Negativity is draining. Yet, willing ourselves to think positive on a continuum is nearly impossible.
So, how do we see the glass as half full versus half empty? We activate the gift of faith that we as believers have been given. Galatians 5:22 describes faith as a fruit of the Spirit. If you are a believer, you have been given the gift of "divine optimism"--it is called faith! When faith is activated in your life, you tap into a supernatural resource that enables you to see present realities through lenses of optimism. As you peer through the divine lenses of optimism, pessimism is challenged.
Activating faith is so simple--believe God's word and be courageous enough to speak it! Most people stop here. Speaking God's word audibly, activates the realm of the spirit. Many of us are too bound by pride, fear, worry, or doubt to speak God's word. Yet, God's word is our key to the supernatural. His word is Spirit.
My four-year-old god-daughter's recites Deuteronomy 28:13. She declares with authority, "I am the head and not the tail! I am above and not beneath!" She unapologetically screams this with such confidence and child-like faith. Although she is too young to understand the vastness of what she is saying, she has learned at an early age how to activate her faith.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). God's word is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). When it is activated in our lives, we live in supernatural optimism.
Reflection:
1. Do you consider yourself a pessimist or optimist? Why?
2. If you have never spoken the word of God aloud, what is preventing you?
3. Do you believe it is possible to maintain an optimistic attitude?
4. Meditate on Romans 8:28. How does this scripture impact you personally as it relates to optimism?
We hear a lot of talk about the power of "positive thinking". We even coach our children to "think positive" and not to be negative. We know that thinking positive is good. It is something we practice and do. We also know the detriments of negative thinking and pessimism. It's no fun being in the company of "Johnny Raincloud" or "Debbie Downer". Pessimists are draining. Negativity is draining. Yet, willing ourselves to think positive on a continuum is nearly impossible.
So, how do we see the glass as half full versus half empty? We activate the gift of faith that we as believers have been given. Galatians 5:22 describes faith as a fruit of the Spirit. If you are a believer, you have been given the gift of "divine optimism"--it is called faith! When faith is activated in your life, you tap into a supernatural resource that enables you to see present realities through lenses of optimism. As you peer through the divine lenses of optimism, pessimism is challenged.
Activating faith is so simple--believe God's word and be courageous enough to speak it! Most people stop here. Speaking God's word audibly, activates the realm of the spirit. Many of us are too bound by pride, fear, worry, or doubt to speak God's word. Yet, God's word is our key to the supernatural. His word is Spirit.
My four-year-old god-daughter's recites Deuteronomy 28:13. She declares with authority, "I am the head and not the tail! I am above and not beneath!" She unapologetically screams this with such confidence and child-like faith. Although she is too young to understand the vastness of what she is saying, she has learned at an early age how to activate her faith.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). God's word is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). When it is activated in our lives, we live in supernatural optimism.
Reflection:
1. Do you consider yourself a pessimist or optimist? Why?
2. If you have never spoken the word of God aloud, what is preventing you?
3. Do you believe it is possible to maintain an optimistic attitude?
4. Meditate on Romans 8:28. How does this scripture impact you personally as it relates to optimism?
