Cynicism and negativity are characteristics of a lazy man’s faith. They fall from the weight of the natural gravity of our flesh. Cheerfulness with a bright outlook requires sustained effort to fight through gravity, to fly in the realms of freedom in open heavens.

Is one a prophet or sage who merely sees and spouts the obvious? "Hear ye, hear ye, things are really bad out there." No. The seer of the Kingdom not made with hands declares: Lift up your eyes to the hills, from whence cometh your help, and, if God is for us, who can be against us? A relevant prophet reminds us of this:

Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered,

"Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

Then Elisha prayed and said, “ O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

To insist that our souls feed on hope, goodness and thanksgiving while the landscape we traverse is riddled with ruin and wreckage requires courageous faith. How else will the light of heaven shine, and from whose face will it radiate?