John Markum

Tag: optimist

Your Problem is Not the Problem

Posted on by johnmarkum

ProblemThe lesson I’ve had to learn, and relearn, my entire life is frustratingly simple. And yet the Bible speaks to the title principle of this post repeatedly. Where, you ask? Well, for instance:

  • Matthew 17:20, “If you have faith like a grain of a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it shall be moved.”
  • Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood… but against spiritual forces…”
  • 1 John 4:4, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Here’s the thing… The problems, troubles, and frustrations that you and I deal with are a consistent part of living – especially for the counter-cultural, God-centered value system of a Christ follower. But when we begin to live, think, and behave as though these difficult circumstances are somehow more than external distractions from the greater battle we’re at war with, we’re already losing the real fight.

You see, your problem is not “the” problem – your perspective is. There is no external problem that is greater than the God who promises to indwell every believer. This same indwelling Spirit of God “always leads us in triumph,” in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14). That’s a pretty big claim. And our instinct is often to argue that claim. After all, we don’t always feel as if we are being lead in “triumph” by God. That feeling comes from our focus, though. And as long as we focus on our problem, rather than the God who is greater than our problem, we’ll always feel discouraged.

That is why Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Don’t lose your focus on the One who promises victory over your trials. Following Christ does not mean that your world becomes “problem-free”. It means that you have overwhelming victory over those problems. The only thing better than not having a challenge, is knowing that no challenge can stop you. “If God is for us, than who can stand against us?!” (Rom. 8:31).

Blessings,
Pastor John

Choose to be an Optimist

Posted on by johnmarkum

We typically categorize people’s overall perspective into one of three point-of-views: Optimist, Pessimist, and Realist. You get the idea, “The pessimist says the glass is half empty, the optimist says the glass is half full…” and so on. My observation is that people generally look down on being a pessimist (which is in itself, a pessimistic statement), think the optimist is naive, and that the realist is generally the best perspective to maintain because this is objective and factual. Someone who is “a realist” sounds more intelligent somehow.

The truth I have wrestled with concerning this, is that there appears to be far more Biblical instruction to be an optimist (Phil. 4:8, James 1:19-20, Pro. 17:22, Phil. 4:13, John 15:11, Psalms 31:24, etc…), than a pessimist, or even a “realist.” And by the way, I also notice that most people who say “I’m not a pessimist, I’m a realist,” are actually just pessimists with a fact to support their negative outlook.

Now, it’s important for me to say that I’m not advocating a mindset that sees the world through rose-colored glasses. I do not believe that we are suppose to ignore known facts. A true optimist, and I argue a mature follower of Jesus, sees the good, bad, and the ugly, and decides to keep a positive perspective anyway. Isn’t this what Jesus meant when He told us, “In this world you will have troubles. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, emphasis mine)? We’ve got plenty to be optimistic about…

We serve a world-creating, light-speaking, water-walking, grave-robbing, sin-forgiving, hurt-healing, life-giving God! Yes, it might be Friday, and Jesus has died a humiliating death on public display. But Sunday’s coming, and He’s about to blow the doors open on a borrowed tomb and show His glory.

Don’t lose heart over your circumstances. Believe God is going to come through even if you can’t understand how right now. Believe the BEST! Choose to be an optimist. It’s less stressful anyway.

Blessings,

John

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