Is Your Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
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Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
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| Is your glass half full or half empty? |
I'm guessing most of you are familiar with the saying 'the glass is half full or half empty'. According to the Cambridge dictionary, the saying is "used to refer to an attitude of always thinking about the good things in a situation rather than the bad ones".
In my younger years, those closest to me would probably describe me as 'glass half empty' kind of girl. But I think, with God's help, I'm changing to be more of a 'glass half full' kind of girl (although perhaps you'd have to check that once again with those close to me!).
It's my birthday at the weekend - not a special one mind you - but one to celebrate anyway. 😁 Jason and I have also recently celebrated our 23rd Anniversary - again not a significant one, but still cause to celebrate.
The reason I'm telling you this is because these dates got me thinking. I have now been married for half of my life (you can probably deduce by this how old I am!) God has blessed me so much in my marriage and I have a wonderful (but not perfect) husband and great (but not perfect kids). N.B. I'm not perfect either! I can look back over these years and know that my glass has definitely been 'half full'.
However, I could describe my glass as being 'half empty' because for all those twenty-three years I have lived with ME and all the difficulties and problems that come with enduring a long-term illness. Surely it's reasonable for me to say my glass is 'half empty'? (I'll answer my question further down.)
The idea of a glass being seen as half full or half empty also got me thinking about how two people can be in the same situation but see it from two very different perspectives. I want to look at the example of Jacob and Joseph from the Old Testament.
Both Jacob and Joseph experienced incredible suffering as they were ripped apart by the schemes of Joseph's brothers. Despite their suffering, they had both been incredibly blessed by God. (You can read their story in Genesis.) However, the way they respond to their circumstances is different.
Here's Jacob's response to his situation:
Jacob exclaimed, “You are robbing me of my children! Joseph is gone! Simeon is gone! And now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!”
Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. I’ll be responsible for him, and I promise to bring him back.”
But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.” Genesis 42:36-38 (NLT)
For Jacob, his glass is 'half full' - he forgets how God is with him and tells his sons that everything is going against him, he believes that Benjamin is all that he has left, but that's not true, he has his other sons and their families, and he has God.
We see Joseph's response to his situation as he speaks with his brothers after revealing to them who he is:
But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. Genesis 45:5-8 (NLT)
Joseph's response to all he has suffered is a remarkable one. He tells them in Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. (NLT)
So why was it that Jacob, in this instance, looked at life one way, whereas Joseph, in this instance, looked at it another way?
I believe it all comes down to their perspective. What they were choosing to focus on. Jacob chose to focus on the situation and his circumstances. When we do the same, it's so easy for us to give in to self-pity, to feel like everything and everyone is against us, that nothing ever goes right for us, that our suffering is too great.
Joseph chose to focus on God and God's plan and will for his life. In doing so he responded with a right attitude to all he faced. He knew God loved him and was with him. He knew God was sovereign and that nothing happened to him without first being filtered through the loving hands of God.
When we focus on God as Joseph did our perspective on life changes. We know that God is with us, even though it may not feel like it at times. We know we can trust him, even in our suffering. We know he is working things out for good because we have been called according to his purpose.
So, let's return to my earlier question about whether it's reasonable to say my 'glass is half empty'. I believe it's understandable to feel that way sometimes, but I don't want this to be my perspective. If this becomes my attitude I will be miserable, not only that, I will make those around me miserable too, I will become a bitter, complaining person who is not enjoyable to be around. I can choose like Joseph to focus on God, whatever my circumstances, and see that my 'cup is half full'. I can choose to look at my situation from God's perspective. When I do this I become more aware of the blessings in my life, of God's goodness, love, grace and his presence. I will become a grateful, joyful person who others will like to be with.
Actually, if we continually choose to focus on God, on who he is and all he has done and given us, I wonder if our cup will no longer seem half full, instead we will realise that the truth is our cup is overflowing.
David wrote in Psalm 23:5-6 (NLT)
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honour me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
To Think About:
Do you have a tendency to see your cup as half full or half empty? Why might this be?
Is it possible to see your glass as half full? Is there a change in attitude, or perspective or focus you need to make?
What are the blessings which overflow your cup? What do you think this means for you and for others around you?
Vicki
If what you read was of interest to you, then you may like to know that my book "Dear Friend...52 Weekly Devotions to Encourage, Challenge and Inspire" is available to buy from Amazon, on Kindle or in paperback. (Its content is material adapted from past blog posts.) To learn more, click on the link below:
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