Do you consider yourself to be a glass is half-empty or a glass is half-full type of person?
We use that expression to distinguish between those who look at the world positively and those who look at it negatively.
Glass is half-empty type of people are the Eeyores of our world. They notice every pain and problem. When challenges come, they slump their shoulders in disgust and say, “It figures.” They look ahead to the future with dread, worried about all the negative things that could possibly happen in their lives.
Glass is half-full type of people see the good, even in the bad. They see the silver linings. They consider challenges to be opportunities to grow. They look ahead to the future with joyful anticipation.
God has made each of us different. Some people by nature have a more positive disposition; others naturally tend to be Eeyores.
The nature of faith, however, is to look to the future with confidence.
The nature of faith is to rejoice even in the sufferings. The nature of faith is to see the silver linings God has drawn on the dark clouds of our lives.
Now, that doesn’t mean that as Christians we naively look at the world through rose-colored glasses. We recognize the presence of evil in our world. We experience pain. We struggle with sin. But we also know God’s promise that he will make all things – even the struggles and heartaches – work out for our eternal good (Romans 8:28). We know that God has plans we cannot even begin to fathom – plans to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). We know that, no matter what happens to us here on earth, we have a home waiting for us in the glory and perfection of heaven through faith in Jesus.
If you struggle with negativity and depression, God has help for you.
When we find ourselves in the dark place of depression, the devil tries to get us to put on blinders so that all we see are the negatives in our lives. All we see are the problems.
A friend of mine, who is a mental health care counselor, once gave me a wonderful tool to help remove those blinders. He said to take a notebook and place it by your bed. Every night before you go to bed, write down one blessing – one good thing in your life – from that day. The only catch is you can never repeat. It always has to be something different.
What naturally happens, as the days turn into weeks – as your list fills lines and entire notebooks – is that you begin to see that, even in the middle of pains and problems, God has given you many good things. Even if you are struggling financially, look at all the “stuff” you have. Even if you feel lonely, look at all the people God has placed in your life. Even if you have health problems, look at all the things that are going right in your body.
Then remember how God forgives you for every mess-up and mistake. Remember how he promises to make even the dark clouds work out for your good. Remember his promise of how wonderful heaven is going to be.
You’re glass isn’t half-empty. It isn’t even half-full.
It is overflowing.
