Optimism
optimism |ˈäptəˌmizəm|
noun
hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something:
I shouldn’t be up this early. It’s 5:30am.
Our favorite tv show ended last night, it was the only one we watched together. We don’t have anymore shows we both like to watch together.
Our kids didn’t get to bed on time. Our youngest was protesting her bedtime so loud she almost woke up her older sister. They went to bed an hour later than usual. After calming my mind I fell asleep a little before midnight.
We’re seriously considering building a house. We’ve never done that before. 9 out of ten people I talk to that have done have a horror story about their experience.
I’m self employed and it’s tax time. Higher taxes and more unknowns.
We’re trying to qualify for a mortgage. The last time we bought a house they asked us for a $500 check and asked us if we were breathing. This time they want to map my DNA and see every financial record I have.
The move has been hard on our marriage. Stress tests ask you about major events; divorce, death, moving. Those three things are somehow on equal footing. So our marriage has been stressed by the move. We’ve always scored 100% on loyalty in marriage tests so we’ll always be married but can we be happily married? That’s the hard part I think.
I’m confronting my anger. I save my anger for my family. They get my worst. I’m the best friend you could ever ask for but I’m an impatient father and husband far too often. A short fuse makes for a tense home. I’m finally admitting that it’s not their behavior, it’s my anger.
Optimism has nothing to do with circumstances. If your present circumstances are good or bad, that’s irrelevant.
[Tweet “Optimism has everything to do with what you see. Where are your eyes looking? “]
Optimism has everything to do with what you see. Where are your eyes looking?
There are times in life when optimism doesn’t make sense. If you were only optimistic when your present circumstances were good then you wouldn’t really be optimistic, you’d be realistic about your present and projecting that onto your future.
Optimism has nothing to do with your present circumstances. It exists outside of the present. It is about your future, what you believe will come.
Optimism comes from confidence in those around you, in yourself or in your Creator. My Scriptures tell me this about my future.
[Tweet “Optimism comes from confidence in those around you, in yourself or in your Creator.”]
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:11-12
The first part is God’s promise, that’s the reason for my optimism. The second part is my responsibility. I must come to him. I must step into His presence, thankfully He is never too far away, and pray.
I’m working on doing that. I don’t have a great track record of prayer, of pursuing His presence, of believing that He wants to prosper my family, my business, my health, my friendships, and my influence. My track record has nothing to do with my future though.
Past performance is not an indication of future results. Today is a new day.
[Tweet “Past performance is not an indication of future results. Today is a new day.”]
I’m optimistic.
How about you?
