Posts Tagged ‘Matthew 28’
Are faith and optimism synonyms?
Can a Christian be a pessimist?
I certainly hope so. Or I’ve got a lot more to be worried about than my general disposition.
Maybe the more important question is whether faith and optimism are synonymous. Do these two words mean the same thing?
Methinks not. I believe they are related, but not the same. I have two lines of reasoning on this:
Observation
- I know plenty of optimists who have no belief in Christ whatsoever. Their lens on life is upbeat and sunny, but based on no Christian eschatological or theological view.
- I know plenty of ardent followers of Christ who generally see things in a negative light. The Bible speaks to discouragement, even amongst believers. And perhaps this is one reason God saw fit to send the Holy Spirit to comfort us in His absence?
- At the point of conversion to faith, I observe no broad, correlating change in “outlook bias” from pessimistic to optimistic across the general population. Read More
No More Worms for Christmas Dinner
It’s the Christmas tradition I’m ready to ditch.
Living away from extended family means most of our holiday celebrations are either shared with friends or spent with merely my four fellow Holmbergians. More often than not, it’s the latter. As an introvert, that’s often okay with me. Other times it produces a subtle but steady pain, similar to a headache that you don’t quite realize you have until you find yourself spitting nails at your spouse — utterly unprovoked. Read More
Christmas Upside-down
Senseless, untimely deaths.
Inexplicable illnesses.
Life-altering diagnoses.
Strained relationships.
Financial distress.
Loneliness and depression.
Weariness and fear.
All juxtaposed against the holiday that’s supposed to be happy.
Approaching Christmas in December seems to press on the tender, raw places in our lives. We’re more aware of our loved ones’ absences because we’re rightly accustomed to gathering with them to celebrate. The world around us seems to go merrily on its way while we bear our burdens. Somehow, facing such difficult circumstances during December seems more unjust. Read More