There are two ways to look at any challenge, with pessimism or with optimism. Pessimistic people look at all the negative possibilities as if there is certainty of failure, destruction, and forfeit of comfort. The optimist looks at the same challenges and sees the possibilities for growth as challenge stretches us beyond our comfort. Charles Dickens wrote about these two perspectives in his book, A Tale of Two Cities,
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
― Charles Dickens
Every day we are given opportunity to look at our life through one of these lens. We can live in faith or live in fear. We can find power in the ability to say "no" to pessimism and "yes" to optimism. We can wake every morning with hope in our heart that evil will be destroyed and love will prevail. And we can go to sleep each night resting in the truth that in the end God rules over all. History has many examples of evil men and women taking advantage of the weak, but Matthew 5:5 gives us hope, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" In the end, good will prevail, people will unite, and truth will triumph.
"I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every... I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life."
Ronald Reagan