Half Full or Half Empty?

What was your first thought when you looked at this picture and read my title? Which one did you say? It's half full!! There are some of you that would have said half empty. There are two ways of looking at it and if you stopped to think about it-how you answer a question like that gives you an idea of your perspective on things-positive or negative. I look at the day and say-I still have half of a day to go-not well, half the day is over. People go on vacation and you might hear some of them say, "we only have -- days left." I love to say-"Wow!! We still have -- days left!"  How you look at situations or time will help your attitude toward them. If you are pessimistic then you will only find the negative and things will look dismal. But, if you are optimistic then you will find the positive and things will look hopeful. You may not realize you are always negative and just need a gentle reminder. No one wants to hang around with someone who is always a "negative Nelly".

As Christians we should strive to be optimistic. How can we do this? Or if we have the tendency to lean toward the pessimistic side then how can we change? Asking the Lord to help us and a lot of practice.

Psalm 5:3

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up."

Start in the morning as soon as you wake up. Start with prayer and thanking the Lord for a beautiful day. Even if it is cold, gray, and raining, God tells us to rejoice in it!

Psalm 118:24

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

We have HOPE. We don't have to "hope", we can know.

Psalm 43:5

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."

God knows what is going on with each of us and He is always with us. We are not going through any of this alone and we can rest in that promise as we live one day at a time.

Take a moment to sit and think of where you are and what you are going through-from the optimistic viewpoint. Thank the Lord for whatever it is and dwell on some scripture that will encourage you. 

Colossians 3:15

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."