Defensive Pessimism

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Matt 6:31-32

 

            I recently read an article entitled “The Upside of Pessimism” by Olga Khazan in The Atlantic and it made me think if pessimism is so prevalent in our society, then what does that mean for the church? I know that every time I turn on the news it seems as though something else is coming to get us: COVID-19, murder hornets, a recession. There is a lot of pessimism in this world, which in turn causes quite a bit of unnecessary anxiety. Julie Norem, a psychology professor at Wheaton College, said, “When people are being defensively pessimistic, they set low expectations, but then they take the next step which is to think through in concrete and vivid ways what exactly might go wrong.” I am not against prior planning, that would be foolish. However, planning for failure will certainly lead to failure.

            Low expectations yield low results. Low expectations suggest that we should aim low. Low expectations take the focus off of God and put it on us and the people we are trying to reach. Consider what the Word of God has to say about worry. Do you remember the result of seed cast among the thorns? He heard the word but the care of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, choked the word and that man became unfruitful (cf. Mt 13:22). Worry destroys the value of the word in us. So if worry causes us to set the bar so low that any sort of “good” thing is a home run, we cheapen the Word. This is perhaps why many are content with fluff and self-help sermons, books, and lectures rather than addressing the weightier matters of life and faith. Moreover, worry causes our evangelistic efforts to be many times the same fluff and no solid foundation.

            In Philippians 4:6, Paul wrote, “Be careful for nothing,” or as the ASV says, “Be anxious for nothing.” Pessimism makes one anxious about every little thing. That anxiety is what prevents many of us from sharing the Gospel. We either believe that we cannot do what we have prepared for or, even worse, we never prepare so that we cannot do. Our mission is to prepare and do.  Can the Lord trust you to carry His message? Brethren, pessimism destroys health and happiness. Pessimism causes even good things to become evil in the eyes of the pessimist. Pessimism is a denial of God, for He is a living and mindful God who cares for and loves you (cf. 2 Pet 5:7).

            Thus, we cannot go forward from this state as pessimistic people. We have no reason to live recklessly, but we cannot set low expectations and expect anything other than mediocrity and lukewarm results (see Rev. 3:16). I pray that we, as the Lord’s church, will let go of defensive pessimism and do what the Lord has commanded us to do with expectations of saving souls. 

Grace and peace,

Ryan