Fear and stress are often blamed for ruining our contentment and happiness, but anxiety is not an uncontrollable monster that forces us to be afraid. Actually, these negative responses originate from within our own beliefs. In this light, pessimism is a personal decision that will continue to influence our thinking until a new system of thought processing is installed.
The Bible says in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the views of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Simply stated, this verse is generally talking about interpreting our views through the lens of God’s Word and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, rather than through the lens of our emotions, past experiences or the opinions of others.
Recognizing our patterns and tendencies to be gloomy can explain why we react in certain ways and can help us improve our pessimistic attitudes. Asking God to help us rewire our minds is the key to learning how to trust him as changing the way we think will change who we are as we demonstrate a life that honors him.
The recent decline in our economy is now at the point where many are feeling stressed and worried. My wife and I have noticed our home and auto insurance is climbing along with a significant increase in our utility bills and property taxes. With mortgage interest rates rising, we are seeing home sales slowing down and subsequently real estate prices are falling. We have concerns about shortages, along with the rising cost of food and fuel. It only makes sense that as the cost of operating a business increases, they must raise prices to maintain a profit. Some are indeed jumping on the price-gouging wagon, but nonetheless, our world is currently not heading in a good direction.