Being A Resident In The City Of Pessimism...

Being a resident in the city of Pessimism has its challenges!  At first glance, pessimism seems like an easy way of life, but I'm here to tell you it is not!  Negativity, hopelessness, and acedia are serious conditions led on by spiritual warfare.  I don't know about you, but to me negativity comes effortlessly.  Why?  For me, it's a means of self-protection.  

I haven't heard God's voice, but I have heard Satan's (negative voice) and it sounds a lot like my own voice!  I realize I must choose to not listen to that voice but have an awareness of what God is saying (because He is speaking to me) by the way He moves within me (through my heart) and for me, that equates to a feeling deep inside- nothing audible.  I must say, "hearing" speaks louder than "feeling".

Thankfully, the fruit of the Spirit is a free gift to us - those who have accepted Christ as their Savior.  And part of that fruit is joy - God's joy!  Joy can't live in the city of Pessimism because it is a polar opposite of God goodness, therefore we must fight and not give in to Satan's ploys to strip us of that joy.

On occasion I find myself not choosing joy because I don't want to get hurt!  I know I'm wrongfully equating my circumstances with whether or not I am joyful.  Why can't my eternal salvation be the focus of all my circumstances and thus be filled with joy?  I speak to God about this particular struggle and pray for a new mindset when it comes to the topic of joy.