Can the Glass Always Be Half-Full?

Would I consider myself a pessimist? No, however I would have to say that a total optimistic worldview that Pangloss shows is almost madness. I can’t see how anyone who had so many horrible things happen to him can look at them all with a positive outlook. Yes, we do need to trust God to provide for us and work all things out for our good (Rom. 8:28), but most people will admit that there are just some things in life that suck.

If we cannot see the good outcome of God’s plan, then why should we choose not to attempt to do something that has good intentions? Prime example, Pangloss would not even let Candide try to save James the Anabaptist from drowning because “Lisbon harbour was made on purpose for this Anabaptist to drown there.” (Ch. V) Whether or not God was going to save James was not Candide’s job to worry about. What if God’s plan was to use Candide for something else that may have happened as an effect from his attempt to save James? How could Candide have known beforehand? How could Pangloss have known what needed to happen without God telling him? Just a couple thoughts.

Anyway, we should do anything that glorifies God because we cannot be sure what He will use.

P.S. I commented on Cameron White's post.