Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman, orator, and strategist, Churchill was also an officer in the British Army. He was a prolific author; he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 for his historical writings.
He was best known for his courage as the Prime Minister of England during World War Two. In the midst of the darkest days of the war, he stood with courage and determination. In the face of defeat, he never gave up hope. Undeterred by the constant bombardment of London by the Luftwaffe, listen to what he said: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” What a powerful statement from a man who did not allow his problem to speak louder than his belief.
Optimism is a disposition or tendency to look on the most favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome. It’s also the belief that good ultimately triumphs over evil in the world. Suffering destroys feeling of optimism especially prolonged suffering. Faith is often diminished by hardship because emotions play an influential part in most human thoughts. Thoughts can become increasingly pessimistic when we experience pain, difficulty or constant hardship. Under any of these the mind will begin to dictate to our emotion, and when we become emotional, we can’t hear what God is saying. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” Proverbs 23:7 (NASB) Our thinking becomes our reality!
The Israelites were enslaved for so long that they accepted their condition as irreversible. Anytime you believe that your condition is irreversible or have no hope, like the children of Israel you will not believe the Word of God. Listen to their response to Moses’ command.
“So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.” Exodus 6:9 (NLT)
They were so focused on the many years of slavery that they could not see what God was doing for them, as the text says, “they had become too discouraged” because of their condition. Are you discouraged because of your condition? Have you lost or are you losing hope? Does it feel like the bottom has falling out? Are your problems speaking louder than the Word of God?
Let me encourage you. First, you need to know that God has not forgotten you! Like the children of Israel, God will send a Moses with a word into your life to deliver you out of all your problems. Secondly, change your focus; stop focusing on the problem and focus on what God said in his Word. Third, learn to praise God in your condition, not for the condition but in the condition. Finally, bring to an end being a pessimist and become and optimist, and see opportunity in every difficulty!
Be Blessed,
Bishop Jemmott