Cautiously Pessimistic

The author Anne Lamott calls herself a ‘crabby optimist.’ I like that phrase. I’m an idealist at heart. I envision a world where every human being pursues a higher purpose other than personal enjoyment and comfort. However, I’m cynical about the majority of us humans achieving this goal. My son calls me ‘cautiously pessimistic’, which sounds a shade more negative than ‘crabby optimist.’

As Christians, are we required to always be joyful optimists? Does my cynicism show a lack of faith in God?

I have faith in God. It’s the humans that I’m not so sure about.

I believe that God created us and has an ideal plan for all of us. However, our human nature compels us to do our own thing, stray outside of God’s perfect plan, and live independent lives apart from God’s will. This screws everything up.

So, is there hope for humanity? Yes.

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” (Ephesians 1:11-12 MSG)

God still has countless tools to influence each of us to draw nearer to Him. I sense God reaching out and asking us to trust His plan. I also notice how often we ignore and rebuff His offerings of love and grace. Yet, I’m counting on God to not give up on us.

This hope may become the catalyst that bumps me up a level, from cautious pessimist to crabby optimist.