Perhaps you’ve also heard these definitions:
- A pessimist is a person who is seasick during the entire voyage of life.
- An optimist is a person who goes in a restaurant with no money, and fully expects to pay for his meal with the pearl he finds among the oysters that he plans to order.
- A realist is a person who does precise guesswork based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge.
M-m-m. According to those tongue-in-cheek definitions, who would aspire to any of these three attitudes?
Truth be told, pessimists often do identify worst-case scenarios and sometimes think God doesn’t care or he’d intervene. Optimists can believe God will always make good things happen, if we just have enough faith. Realists might not focus on the negative, yet still be cautious about expecting God’s involvement in their circumstances.
But what if he desires that we expect great things–things like strength to endure, help to solve problems, provision for needs, and guidance for decisions? Nineteenth century pastor/author Andrew Murray suggested:
It occurred to me that we Jesus-followers might aim past pessimism, realism, or optimism, toward up-timism. No, you won’t find that word in Webster’s. But according to the Nancy Ruegg Dictionary of Words We Need the up-timist looks up toward God, trusting that out of his love, goodness, and wisdom, he will do what is right.
Up-timists also take to heart the promises of scripture, they remember God’s faithfulness in the past, and affirm who he is in all his glorious attributes.
This doesn’t mean up-timists are perpetually giddy with cheer. But even as tears of pain or grief course down their cheeks, they rest in their Heavenly Father with joy. They’ve learned how to be “sorrowful but always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10).
Consider these words from the great preacher Charles Spurgeon: “We ought to be glad and rejoice forever in that which God creates. Ours is a heritage of joy and peace. My dear brothers and sisters, if anybody in the world ought to be happy, we are the people. . . How boundless our privileges! How brilliant our hopes!”[1]
These words were penned when Spurgeon was deathly ill. Though he rallied for a time, the great theologian graduated to heaven six months later.
In the letter to his people excerpted above, he included a main characteristic of the up-timist: hope.
Hope is the confident expectation that God will use our painful circumstances for good . . . it’s what allows us to choose to rejoice amid hardships and to say to God, “I will rejoice in You.”[2]
By contrast, pessimists are often characterized by fatalism, realists by over-confidence in their own perceptions, and optimists by wishful thinking.
But up-timists affirm such confident expectations as these:
- The Lord preserves those who are true to him . . . Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord (Psalm 31:23-24).
- Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken (Psalm 62:5-6).
- You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word (Psalm 119:114).
Hope isn’t an automatic response in times of hardship, even for up-timists. We have to exercise our determination. One way is to speak truth to ourselves–with conviction. The scriptures listed above offer a good place to start.
Other truths include:
- I know God has a purpose in this circumstance (Proverbs 19:21).
- I know God will bring me through (Isaiah 40:29-31).
- I know God is a good and loving Father, and he’s working toward the eternal perfection of his kingdom, for the benefit of all who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Note how God is at the center of the up-timist’s hope. She expects God to work in her life and in the world, anticipates the fulfillment of his promises, and looks forward to seeing his will unfold.
Note also that “hope doesn’t change what we see, like the lens of optimism or pessimism, hope changes us to withstand the journey this side of heaven with enduring joy, peace, and contentment.”[3]
So–would you describe yourself as an up-timist? How does that point of view impact your life? Please share in the comment section below!
[1] https://www.epm.org/blog/2019/Oct/23/godly-optimism.
[2] Jennifer Rothschild, Lessons I Learned in the Dark, 95.
[3] Kim Striver, https://www.coreradiate.com/blog/optimist
Photo credits: http://www.canva.com; http://www.freebibleimages.org; http://www.canva.com; http://www.heartlight.org; http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.flickr.com; http://www.canva.com.
From the Inside Out 
Nanc, I love the idea of up-timists! How insightful and delightfully God-centered and God-honoring. This is one I’m adding to my vocabulary!
Thank you, Dayle. The idea of up-timists was undoubtedly Spirit-inspired, gifted to me as I researched for this post. The new term will now be part of my own vocabulary when these attitudes come up in conversation!
Thanks for coming up with a word that can describe me when I’m having “divine perspective.” I’ve reached the point where I envision what the world would see as a “worst case scenario” and try to imagine how God could turn that circumstance into something even better than what everyone is hoping for. Quite a few of my blog posts are true stories about times when the Lord took something I thought was disappointing or frustrating and turned it into something delightfully quirky and surprisingly good!
THAT’s the kind of mindset a child of God should cultivate! I think you see God’s exceedingly abundant works (Ephesians 3:20), Annie, because you’re looking for them! What an amazing God we serve, who can turn disappointments and frustrations into delights!!
(Nancy, I’m going to remember that word and use it often! 😉 )
In the early days of 2020, before the covid-19 pandemic started, I was reading in my Bible one day when Habakkuk 3:17-18 seemed to jump off the page and hit me right in my heart. I shared it with the church Bible study that I was part of at that time, and it went over like a lead balloon. But yes — yes yes yes. This is the cry of my heart:
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)
I remember a song by Don Francisco with those lyrics.
I didn’t remember that Don Francisco wrote a song with these lyrics. I’ve probably heard it (we owned several of his albums back in the day), and would recognize it if I heard the tune. I’ll have to check it out on Youtube!
I wonder why that precious scripture passage from Habakkuk went over like a lead balloon? Perhaps those Bible study members hadn’t experienced the joy of the Lord through difficulty yet. You planted a seed that day, Linda, demonstrating that rejoicing in God is not meant to be reserved for joy-filled circumstances–and for good reason. (Other scriptures give us the “why,” which I’m sure you also know well!)
I agree, Linda.
Nancy, the song was called “Jesus Is Lord of the Way I Feel.”
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=jesus+is+lord+of+the+way+i+feel+don+francisco&va=b&t=hr&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DNldZCO2ECaw
OH YES–I remember it now! Thank you so much for sending a link, Annie, making it easy-peasy for me to hear again that uplifting tune with the timeless lyrics.
Every time I hear that song I can hear my children as toddlers, singing along. 😉💕
Love this post, Nancy. Always considered myself a realist, but you have caused me to rethink.
Blessings!
We Christians can probably be a combination of optimism, realism, and up-timism at any given time, Loralu. Blessings back to you for an up-timistic weekend!
Love, love that word ‘up-timism; absolutely perfect
Thank you, Brenda. Praise God for dropping that new word into my consciousness while researching for this post!
Up-timist . . . love that Nancy.
Keep Looking Up . . . His Best is Yet to Come!
Thank you, Fred. My husband often used to say from the pulpit, “The best is yet ahead!” It’s a perfect focus for an up-timist!
I love this! I want to be an uptimist! Thank you for the encouraging post!
Thank you, Bridget. We’ll be striving uptimists together!
“up-timism” Yes, I love it too, Nancy! I want to live it as well. Blessings!
Thank you, David. We’ll start an up-timist movement!
I like “Nancy Ruegg’s Dictionary of Words We Need!” It makes sense that God’s people wouldn’t be defined by the same mindset or terms that the world has, and “up-timist” characterizes that so well. I also love your reminder to speak the truth to ourselves. I am always surprised (as a natural-born pessimist) how wonderfully encouraging it is to dwell on God’s thoughts instead of my own. Love your posts, Nancy!
Thank you, Mary. I’m so glad you’ve already discovered the power of God’s thoughts. Up-timistic scripture-statements do wield surprising power to encourage and strengthen!
Yes, up-timists. What a great word Nancy. I would place myself as having risen through life from being a pessimist then an optimistic realist with moments of being an up-timist.
Thank you, Gary. I’d say that’s the trajectory for many as we grow in our relationship with Jesus. And as I mentioned to Loralu James above, we Christians can probably be a combination of optimism, realism, and up-timism at any given time.
I like your new word and aspire to be an up-timist at all times.
Praise God for people like you, Vickie–striving to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit and demonstrating his character (Galatians 5:22-23) as an up-timist!
Nancy, since I didn’t think I fit into any of the three definitions, I was so thrilled to see your new word. I guess, at times I am a bit of all them, but certainly strive for the latter. Up-timist! ❤️When I was asked to speak at a Christmas Eve service many years ago right after my brother’s death, my sister gave me Habakkuk 3:17-18. I guess that was my real Uptimist orientation.
On another note, your post and thread gives me the sense we are all sitting around a table together talking. How beautiful to accomplish that with a blog. I feel like I am in the presence of true friends. I’ve said it before, you are so special! ❤️
Deb
Thank you so much for your kind words, Deb. Do you know that “sitting around a table together talking” was the dream I had for this blog way back in 2012 as I began?! Praise God for his faithfulness to make it happen! And thank you for taking a seat at this table, sharing your heart with us. I’m so sorry you lost your brother at such a young age. But how glorious you were able to adopt Habakkuk’s attitude of faith-no-matter-what, even in circumstances as grievous as yours. I pray God’s blessing upon you, Deb, as you practice up-timism. I’ll be doing the same from my corner!
How precious, Nancy, to be a part of the realization of that prayer! What a gift to me to find the table and to be welcomed in! ❤️
Nancy, this is brilliant! I absolutely love the concept of an “up-timist,” especially as “God is at the center of an up-timist’s hope.” This word brought to mind 1 Peter 3:15- But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. Lord, make me an ever increasing “up-timist.” Amen
Thank you Beth. Yes, it just might be as we have opportunity to use our new word, up-timist, we’ll be able to give the reason for the hope we have in Christ. Thank you for adding that verse to the conversation!
i come from a long line of glass-half-empty folks. thanks for turning our eyes up toward Him in all His power, glory, and love, Nancy. ‘i lift my eyes unto the hills from where my help comes from …’
Thank you for adding that scripture, Psalm 121:1-2, to our discussion, Linda–a great statement of intent for up-timists!
I love your “Dictionary of Words We Need” (and feel free to come up with more). Up-timist for me is an aspiration. I’m nowhere near pessimist but hover between realist and optimist. Your comments on “hope” resonate with me. I’ve always thought our misunderstanding of God’s place in pain or grief is in thinking he will reveal himself in the moment. Instead, I think the passing of time gives the moment the perspective we need to understand His grander plan. Being an up-timist only accelerates that understanding. Unlike a realist or optimist, I think the distinction of an up-timist is God’s call to action. DO something to help the healing and all will ultimately be revealed. It’s a great message, Nancy.
Thank you, Dave, for sharing your wisdom. You are SO right that the passage of time often provides perspective to understand some events, in light of God’s grander plan. I also agree there are things we can do to avoid negativism and discouragement: meditation in the Bible, praise, worship, and gratitude–to mention a few. Even if we don’t understand the “why” behind every circumstance, we can still trust our perfect God who does ALL things perfectly (Psalm 18:30)!
What a great idea – Up-timists!! and we all ned this word!
Thank you, Jean–I need this word too. Praise God for gifting it to me!
Nancy, thanks for sharing. I love the idea of Up-timists. The Habakkuk scripture is encouraging.
Thank you, Pam. Isn’t that a wonderful scripture? It always helps me put my circumstances in perspective.
Nancy,
I want to be. It’s been tough lately, but yes that is the way to look at things correctly.
Thank you, Gary
I’m so sorry you are enduring a tough time, Gary. May the end of this personal valley come SOON!
Thanks, Nancy.
What a great perspective to view life as an up-timist! I will ask the Lord’s help to embrace this idea. (I’ve admittedly been a pessimist more often than not.) To be joyful during difficult times is a challenge but if I view life through the lens of hope, and trust in the fact that He knows best, I believe I can be more accepting of hardships and less likely to be depressed by circumstances beyond my control; especially when I know that some day He will wipe all tears and fears away and I will dwell in His house for all eternity. Feelings and emotions mean nothing; Faith is everything!
So well said, Cheri. It’s NOT easy to be an up-timist when everything around you wants to pull you down. You are wise to focus on what’s ahead. “It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus!” (Remember that hymn?)
Oh Nancy, you have written another keeper for my blog file. I love this new word and am adding it to my vocabulary immediately! I tend to wake up around 4:00 in the morning and have a hard time going back to sleep because concerns, both big and small, roll around in my brain. You know how huge things seem at that dark hour, I’m sure. Looking up and handing it all back to God as I hope in Him is what I know to do but it’s a discipline I often struggle with. I will remember to practice being an “up-timist.” Blessings, my friend.
I’m so glad you found inspiration in the new word, Up-timism! And oh, yes, I too have spent dark hours of the night or early morning, trying to pray through concerns, praising God for who he is, and reciting scripture. It IS a discipline to keep concern from turning into worry!
Hope is certainly what makes all the difference to the “up-timist,” and it’s what distinguishes the believer as well! We have what the world needs!
Amen, my friend! May we be vibrant, up-timist advertisements!