Reality check

My wife and I have this same discussion many times. It is about the difference between being optimistic and being a realist. Sometimes when I say something she says I am being a pessimist. But I maintain, no I am just stating fact. So this morning I heard a pastor on the radio that really helped me clarify this issue. He said you as a Christian don't need to be a pessimist or an optimist, you need to be a realist. Why? Because until we are willing to fess up to how things really are with us, we'll never get what we need to fix the problems of life. Yes we are to live a life of faithful expectations in Jesus Christ; absolutely. Speaking those things that are not as though they are is putting our faith into action. But it is not denying the reality of right now. Peter told Christ he would never deny him. But Peter was not being realistic about his spiritual maturity and eventually he had to come to grips with it so he could continue to grow. If I am driving down the road and have a flat tire, I can deny that reality as much as I want. But if I don't stop and change it, I am going to suffer much more damage. If we never admitted to God we are sinners in need of a Savior, we would never receive salvation. If you want to change your life for the better, be humble enough to admit your reality and then ask God for the solution. There are only three reasons I know of that cause us to deny our reality: pride, insecurity, and fear.