Faith vs. Optimism

“Who knows, the Lord might be gracious to me.”                     

 —2 Samuel 12:22

From daily conversation, I would have guessed that there are more pessimists in the world than optimists. Someone comments as they dial the phone, “They probably won’t be home” or “They probably won’t answer.” When approaching a green traffic light, we moan, “It will probably turn red just as we get there.” Describing people in Winnie the Pooh terms, I would think there are many more Eeyores than Tiggers in this world. “Oh hum, I just knew I’d lose my tail today.”

The simplest research, however, reveals that humans tend to an optimistic group overall. Psychologists have established the fact that most people are actually irrationally positive. This phenomenon is called the optimism bias. Most people expect to live longer and be more successful than average, and we tend to underestimate the likelihood of getting a serious disease.

Although, I profess to be an optimist, I am not an irrational optimist who simply thinks all things just work out in the end. I read an anonymous joke recently, “An optimist fell from the top story of a skyscraper. As he passed the fourth story, he was overheard muttering, ‘So far, so good!’” Irrational optimism might be understood as a fatalistic belief that everyone, or at least you, will live happily ever after.

One of King David’s greatest contributions to the Christian faith story is optimistic faith. David demonstrated an optimism that God could be trusted to show up just when you needed Him most. It was not merely an optimistic bias that everyone experiences a fairytale ending but a belief that the God of the Bible, the God of creation, the Author of the plan of human salvation, will keep the promises of His word. God can be trusted and has our best interests in mind.

After David’s grievous sins of adultery, murder, and cover up, his child born to Bathsheba became fatally ill. David fasted and prayed while the child lived but quickly arose, cleaned up, and went into the Lord’s House to worship after the child died. When asked why he fasted and prayed, David replied, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me’” (2 Sam. 12:22). David showed optimistic faith in God. Even while he was being disciplined for terrible acts, he held the belief that God was good and might still be gracious to him.

Was it faith or optimism that prompted David to face the giant with five smooth stones and a sling? (1 Sam. 17:40) As David approached Goliath, he replied to Goliath’s challenge, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Sam. 17:45). Faith is the optimistic belief that God can be trusted in the difficulties and challenges of life. God is not a God who lives in a castle at the end of fairy tales. God is the God who sent His Son to be born into our broken world, walk in our sin-filled streets, and die on a criminal’s cross for you and me.

Faith is not merely an optimistic bias. Faith is putting our trust in the Lord, trusting our future to God as we walk in obedience to His will and His Word. Are you seeking relief from past deeds? Are you facing major challenges today? Call upon the Lord and trust Him to keep His Word.