Which type of person are you? Do you typically see life from a positive point of view or do you lean more toward the negative. Maybe you are just wondering who drank whatever was in your glass.

As we have been studying on Sunday mornings all these people of great faith from Hebrews 11, I struggle with thinking of them as “glass half empty” kind of people.

When it comes to Cumberland, where do you stand? Do you look around and see the negative of not enough young people, or do you see the positive in the opportunity to find new members?

When something changes around here do you see the negative and wonder where the slippery slope is leading, or do you see the positive and contemplate the miracles God can and will do here?

Paul tells the Christians in Thessalonica to “rejoice always” (1 Thes. 5:16). Surely he  didn’t really mean always did he? What about when something happens at church I don’t care for, do I still have to rejoice?

He says to also “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thes. 5:18). That can’t mean to be thankful when things aren’t going my way can it?

I think our answers to those questions (not academically but in the reality of our lives)  depends greatly upon how we view the glass.

Often we struggle with seeing our faith like the great faith exampled in Hebrews 11. Could it be that their definition of faith meant seeing everything from the positive point of view of what God can and will do instead of the negative of what they could not do?

I don’t think it is any coincidence that after saying to “rejoice” and “give thanks” Paul says “do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thes. 5:19). I’m pretty sure he wasn’t thinking about hands in the air or shouting out loud. Positive thinking is Spirit filled thinking.