“We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
Optimism is usually defined in a couple different ways. One is to always view the world in the best possible light—despite any other facts or circumstances. Another is to believe that everything is probably going to work out in a good and favorable way.
While an optimistic view may seem like a cheery way to look at the outcomes of life and world, just one check in with reality would reveal that there's no guarantee of unending blessings or positive outcomes.
Living in a Fallen World
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The Bible describes how sin has corrupted the world, making any sort of idyllic perspective impossible (Genesis 3). That sin also corrupted humanity, making every person born a sinner (Isaiah 53:6); separated from God (Romans 3:23); subject to suffering, illness, pain, and the daily possibility of death (Psalm 23; Psalm 103:15-16).
Our world is even governed by the “god of this world,” Satan himself (2 Corinthians 4:4). And while that's pretty awful, we do have an incredible source of hope: Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). When we accept salvation through Jesus, we're no longer on our own (John 5:24). We're free from the bondage of sin and indwelled by the Holy Spirit (John 8:36; Romans 8:9).
That doesn't mean that everything's always going to go the way we want or that we'll never suffer, but it does mean that can hope for our future, experience true joy, and have the Holy Spirit by our side to guide us (John 10:10; John 14:26).
A Worldly Kind of Optimism
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, 'He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.'”
Unbelievers may approach life with a "don’t worry, be happy" attitude, putting their faith in things that don't exist—like karma, manifesting, or the will of the "universe." Sometimes believers can have misguided optimism, believing that God will give them whatever they desire or that nothing bad can ever happen to them. And all people have times when they choose to practice willful ignorance or denial of reality.
Sadly, these worldly ways of approaching an optimistic perspective can negatively affect our relationship with God (Proverbs 3:5-6). Trusting in wishful thinking and good vibes will often result in confusion and disappointment if God doesn’t answer a prayer or act in the way we're expecting Him to.
Defining Our True Identity
“Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
Sometimes people like to label themselves—such as saying they're an optimist, realist, or pessimist. Looking at situations from a hopeful or optimistic angle is neither wrong nor sinful. Being realistic about what the world is like can be a helpful way to approach decision-making (James 4:13-14). But life and the world are too nuanced to really pick a "side."
We're totally free to take a more optimistic perspective—provided that helps us cope with things like frustrations, disappointments, or unknowns. However, we should be careful not to make something like this our entire identity. As believers, our true identity is found in Christ alone (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Acknowledging God's Sovereignty
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”
One of the reasons why it's important not to make our whole identity being either an optimist or pessimist lies in where we put our trust. God is sovereign, which means that He has full control over everything that happens or doesn't happen (Psalm 147:5; Job 42:2).
When we begin predicting or expecting certain things or outcomes, we overlook the fact that God is in control and that He does what He desires (Psalm 103:19; Psalm 115:3). It's OK to imagine a negative or positive outcome as a possibility. It's OK to allow those thoughts to influence our actions for good. But we shouldn't bank on everything turning out for or against us.
Of course, we're allowed to make plans and consider our future, while also remembering that it's God who makes all the good things happen (James 4:13-14; Romans 8:28). We must remember that, in all things, it's God’s will, not necessarily our own, that will prevail.
A Biblical Kind of Optimism
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”
Rather than putting our confidence in ourselves, our predictions, or in the things of this world, we should place our full trust and confidence in God. The Bible tells us that these things are real:
God's character is good, and He loves us deeply (Psalm 34:8; Psalm 84:11; Nahum 1:7).
When we become of one God's children, we're promised that the pain we experience in this life is only temporary (Revelation 21:4).
God organizes all things for the good of us and the glory of Him (Romans 8:28).
God can give us a incredible sense of peace (Philippians 4:7).
When life seems to give us nothing to be optimistic about, God welcomes our anxieties and will lovingly carry them for us (1 Peter 5:7). He wants to hear from us (Philippians 4:6)—even though He already knows our needs (Matthew 6:8). We don't have to worry about the things of this world because we have a loving, heavenly Father who's able to provide more than we could ever imagine (Luke 12:29-31; Ephesians 3:20-21).
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”