He is both merciful and just…

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. 
Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. 
For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. 
(Isaiah 61:1–9)

Sometimes I feel like a teeter-totter. On one end sits a pessimist who tends to see the worst and can even dip into a depressive thought that nothing good is happening and nothing good will ever happen. Yet that thinking flies away when God gives me passages like this one. He is not done with sinners and the optimist end of the see-saw rises and laughs at my foolishness. How can I forget the promises and plans of God?

Nothing is too hard for Him, yet I have to be on the high side to see it. Getting there requires deeper thinking, focused thought, determination to know what I know, and confession of all unbelief that allows that pessimist be the heavy weight in this battle.

The very next verse in this passage tells me how to think, how to defeat that negative thinking:

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

 And the NT has much to say about this spiritual war with the flaming arrows of those evil ‘principalities and powers’ that are determined to overthrow my faith:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life. . . .  (Philippians 2:12–16)

Having God work in me includes giving me the will to do the work He asks. I know my helplessness and have realized that it is in that helplessness that He not only works but is glorified. The pessimist gives Him opportunity to declare His hatred of sin and the optimist states the wonder of His grace and mercy.

Jesus, when people ask how I am, I often make this hand gesture /\/\/\/ for it is true that life is that way because You teach me who You are in both the sunshine and the storms, the ups and downs of life. Many only want the ups with its optimism yet I know You better because of the downs, and either way, that You are with me and working out my salvation for me so that I shine and don’t grumble.