September 27, 2020
He restores my soul. Psalm 23:3
Recently, I heard an account of a prisoner of war who survived the horrors of his captivity while others around him succumbed to their fate and lost their lives. When asked what set him apart that allowed him to persevere and overcome, his answer was: optimism.
Optimism without naivety regarding one’s surroundings is critical to the human condition. Optimism based upon faith is absolutely essential. By placing faith and trust in God we empower ourselves to endure even the most heinous situations. The unthinkable becomes bearable. The unbearable can be overcome. Positivity and optimism and faith and trust must coexist in each of us to survive. Devoid of faith, we risk succumbing to a life without purpose or direction.
I pray to always have eyes that see the best in people, and to have a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God. Amen.
Trish Langenhuizen