Is God An Optimist?

I am reading the story of King Saul in 1 Samuel in the Bible. He is the first king that God appointed to rule over the Israelites. Saul is deeply human and deeply flawed. But the book of 1Samuel is abounding with the stories of the sins of people. From Eli’s sons to Saul’s death there is a thread of weak humanness.

But for me, I found a shimmering glimpse of a surprising aspect to God’s great nature.

In 1 Samuel 15:11 God says “’I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.’” Saul had been disobedient to a specific command. I thought to myself, “how can God regret when he knows EVERYTHING?”

I mean, think about it. God knows everything that has happened, is happening, and is going to happen. So how can He regret? I said it out loud to God “How can YOU have regret?” And I got the answer.

God is an optimist.

Hear me out.

If you think about it, there is only regret in a decision when it doesn’t work out the way you had hoped. Maybe the outcome is disappointing, or things took a turn for the worse. Right? So how can God have regret? I am not challenging the omniscient nature of His character. I think this adds a beautiful layer to who He is.

I imagine that in God’s mystic way, He holds hope for AND the knowledge of the future in the same space. He is able to and DOES hope for a good outcome even knowing that things will not end well! It is unfathomable to me and that is why I refer to it as mystical.

Old Testament God was an optimist. We see His regret when it comes to the creation of man in Genesis 6:7. He made us hoping we would do the right thing KNOWING we wouldn’t. God is optimistic!

So, what does that mean for me?

I naturally do not trust people. I naturally assume the worst of most everyone that I meet. Life is really less disappointing when you expect bad things to happen.

But reading this passage and with this revelation, it calls me to a behavior that is aligned with God and who He is. To know and expect badness and evil from people and still be hopeful.

To stay hopeful.

To know politicians will do the wrong thing and stay hopeful.

To know that I will be lied to daily by social media, news, experts, and so on and STILL be hopeful.

To assume the worst and hope for the best doesn’t even cut it. It is hope in the face of the worst.

To hold these two opposing realities in myself feels like an impossible task. But in my love for God and my desire for closeness to Him bids me to acquire attributes that make me more like Him. So, it is a daily prayer. Lord, make me hopeful over fearful, over distrusting, over anything else. Give me a hopeful heart that believes the best of people, even with the knowledge of their flaws.

Simply, Lord make me more like you.