Optimism is the tendency to take the most hopeful or cheerful view of matters or to expect the best outcome; the practice of looking on the bright side of things.

Pessimism is just the opposite. It refers to the tendency to expect misfortune or the worst outcome in any circumstance; the practice of looking on the dark side of things.

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, Christians do not formulate a philosophical, sociological, or psychological view by what takes place in the present. On the contrary, disciples accept what the Lord says about actuality. This "futuristic" view of life leads to optimism about the believer’s future, yet pessimism for the future of this present world.

Think about what God says concerning the current age.

• Matthew 24:5-8, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows."
• II Timothy 3:1-5, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
• I John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
• I John 2:18-19, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

After reading the entire Bible, a Christian will not place confidence in government, the United Nations, the economy, secular education, culture, science, or anything else that ignores the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows these things are doomed to failure.

On the other hand, the Christian is an absolute optimist about the Lord, today, and tomorrow.

• Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
• Romans 8:37-39, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
• John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
• Revelation 21:1,4, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Some conclusions.

• Believers must not live in negativism or despair.
• Believers must not trust any system that is not anchored in the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Believers must live in a spirit of hope, confidence, and optimism.

Believers must live in vital optimism, the future promised by God will be better than anything in the past. Therefore, we offer the last prayer in the Bible: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20b).