Today I pickup a subject which I have been avoiding for some time. It is not easy to write about a great failure.
First Thessalonians 5:16 says
“Rejoice always,” (ESV)
“Be joyful always,” (NIV)
“Rejoice evermore,” (KJV)
I have lived almost all my life as a pessimist. If I was ever an optimist, I can’t remember it. Many years ago, I stopped attempting to rationalize my pessimism by saying I was actually a realist. Very recently I would have informed you that studies have shown that pessimists are more accurate in their analysis than optimists. I would have told you this with a smug look on my face and inside would have been justifying my behavior as necessary to do things well on this fallen earth. After all, those crazy optimists are either unwilling to face reality or just so happy that they don’t care that they may be wrong more often. And at the end of the last sentence is what it really all boils down to for me and probably many other pessimists. I don’t want to be wrong. I am so focused on not being wrong that I have been willing to sacrifice my own happiness in exchange for being right more often. My wife (the optimist) gently pokes fun at me for having made this choice; and once I lay it out as bluntly and honestly as that, I begin to wonder who the crazy one is.
So let me put forward a question.
Is pessimism a sin?
I am sure that if you are a pessimist, you will instinctively react with a big “no”, and then you would search for a rationale how that no could be true. Since I am writing this, you can be assured that I have chased down that logical path more than a few times. You could argue that about half the people you know are optimists, and half are pessimists. Surely half of the people you know could not be involved in ongoing sin. I’m pretty sure that is a lame argument. You could argue that God created each person with a distinctly beautiful personality, and optimism or pessimism is just a part of that personality. Maybe that is a little better. However, search your heart and ask yourself if you believe there will be pessimists in heaven. For me, that one ends with me swallowing rather hard at the answer.
And so on I lived with no real answer to that question. (And I like to know the answers to questions.) I ruminated on how I could write about this Biblical directive without it becoming an exceedingly painful indictment of who I am. I thought and thought. I waited and waited. Finally, mercifully the Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin. This transpired through specific circumstances in my life that were not especially pleasant. When I speak of being convicted, I don’t mean the kind of conviction that you put down on your to do list, address it and move on. I’m not even speaking of one that you put on the top of every day’s to do list and move on. (Although that is not a bad idea.) I am talking about an Isaiah-like “Woe is me! for I am lost; because I am a man of unclean lips” realization of my sin and my ongoing excuse for my sin. I had to stop making excuses or softening the blow of the false reality I had grown accustomed to.
Let me tell you that I actually don’t believe that pessimism in and of itself is a sin. However, the minute (or microsecond) that it begins to rob you of your joy I believe you have clearly fallen into sin. This is not an easy thing to accept. I don’t expect anyone to accept it quickly or easily. I only ask that you consider it and ponder it. If you are a Christian, don’t allow living in a fallen, sin-cursed world to rob you of the abundant life that Jesus speaks about in John 10:10.
And so on I live with an answer to my question, but with a challenge I cannot win under my own power. I need a lot of help. “Woe is me! for I am lost; because I am a man of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
April 30th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
My heart nearly sank when I read, “Search your heart and ask yourself if there will be pessimists in heaven.” That hurts. A lot. An immediate confrontation to my all-too-often pessimistic heart.
Pessimism is a struggle of mine - justified by my interpretation of Ecclesiastes, suffering I have touched, etc. At the end of the day, joy is either found in God, or wickedness ensues in so many seemingly justifiable forms - anger, control, fear, depression.
How does one obtain joy? It cannot be mustered, can it? I don’t think so. Joy, like salvation, like sanctification, is a gift of God. Psalm 43 speaks of a progression in vv. 3-4: 1) Holy hill 2) Dwelling 3) Altar 4) God Almighty! God’s presence is the ultimate joy. Will we approach God or shy away in fear? Will we sit before him undone by his ransacking mercy or remain distant in pride? Will we allow God to sing over us or will we criticize the foolish people who have not formulated flawless theological grids as we have? I am a fool! I am in the latter category of all these questions! Psalm 43:5 - “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”
May 1st, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Pessimism or realism? A rose by any other name is still a sin. Most pessimists, myself included, find it difficult to experience the joy of Christ. Bottom line – the Bible wins and that settles it. I do not believe we need to be uproariously happy, I do believe we need to be joyful. The joy is in the gift of salvation, which transcends anything we encounter in this part of our lives. We have eternity to bask in the worship of our God and experience a fellowship that we cannot understand at this point.
What more do want? As Joe pointed out we want to be RIGHT. That is perfectionism, which is a completely different part of the flesh that has to be crucified.
I have been fighting both of these battles most of my life. The reality of Biblical truth does not make the death of the flesh any easier. Fortunately Christ will NOT leave us or forsake us and the growth in our faith will continue. We can be joyful about that. The death of any part of our flesh is painful, no matter what lesson God is teaching us. I resist and often fight against the very things that will release me from some spiritual pain. Pessimism and perfectionism are no exception. Thank God for seraphs with burning coals.
May 2nd, 2010 at 2:48 pm
From an optimist.
I am a strong melancholy which naturally leads itself to pessimism. Over the years I realize I have turned into an optimist. Joe, you hit it on the head–
if pessimism robs you of your joy you have fallen into sin.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and Jon is right we do not muster it.
Psalm 43:4b–”God my joy and delight.” (not spouse, kids, job, country, church, accomplishments, family, travels, intelligence…) Will there be pessimists in heaven? My answer: Pessimists are going to heaven and when they get there they
will be eternal optimists!!!!