Three Aids to Optimism

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalm 100: 4, 5)

Jesus Christ does not want your attitude held hostage by circumstances. He does not want circumstances to control your attitude. Rather, He wants your attitude to influence circumstances.

When He ransomed you, He ransomed all of you including your spirit, your attitude. The believer can rejoice because Christ met our worst enemy, Satan, and overcame him. Because of Christ’s victory, we work from victory not for victory. It is Christ’s victory that enables us to be victorious.

The King of Kings has defeated the “prince” of this world.

Don’t ever step into a never-before-lived-day without a spirit of optimism.  

Our Lord knowing this has provided numerous uplifting influences to enable us to regain our footing when knocked down. Psalm 100 notes three.

I.   EXALTATION – VS. 4A “Enter His gates…and into His courts” (Vs. 4a)

These were expressions by the ancient Hebrews that spoke of public worship. Public worship puts God in focus. Worship enables us to get God in focus and things to fade. Public worship is intended to lift the spirit, giving it wings while challenging the will..

II.  EXULTATION – VS. 4B “Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”

It is not the happy people who are thankful.

It is the thankful people who are happy.

Happiness doesn’t produce thankfulness, rather thankfulness consequences in happiness. Do you always feel thankful? The honest answer from all of us is “NO!” 

Psalm 116:17 – 19 speaks to such an emotional moment: “I will offer You the sacrifice of thanksgiving…”  A sacrifice is something we give that costs us. Sometimes the sacrifice is “thanksgiving” and it costs us dearly. Often thanksgiving comes as an act of faith, not from elation over circumstances. 

For God to be God in lives a sacrifice of thanksgiving is necessary. What is the threat to God on the throne of your life?

III. EXPLANATION – VS. 5

“God is good…”  He always is. Things aren’t always good, but God is. Complexity consequences when we fail to distinguish between God and things. As a result, we often end up feeling it is God Who isn’t good.

Grace is God supplying what we don’t deserve. The good.

Mercy is God sparing us what we do deserve. The bad.

His mercy is everlasting.

“…His truth endures to all generations…”

To such perplexed people God offers truth that stabilizes. As there are rules that remain constant once a game is begun, so there are spiritual concepts that don’t change in the game of life. Get in the game as never before and play by His rules.