Cynicism creates a numbness toward life.Cynicism begins with a wry assurance that everyone has an angle. Behind every silver lining is a cloud. The cynic is always observing critiquing but never engaging loving and hoping....To be cynical is to be distant. While offering a false intimacy of being in the know cynicism actually destroys intimacy. It leads to bitterness that can deaden and even destroy the spirit....Cynicism begins oddly enough with too much of the wrong kind of faith with naive optimism or foolish confidence. At first glance genuine faith and naive optimism appear identical since both foster confidence and hope.But the similarity is only surface deep.Genuine faith comes from knowing my heavenly Father loves enjoys and cares for me. Naive optimism is groundless. It is childlike trust without the loving Father....Optimism in the goodness of people collapses when it confronts the dark side of life....Shattered optimism sets us up for the fall into defeated weariness and eventually cynicism. Youd think it would just leave us less optimistic but we humans dont do neutral well. We go from seeing the bright side of everything to seeing the dark side of everything. We feel betrayed by life....The movement from naive optimism to cynicism is the new American journey. In naive optimism we dont need to pray because everything is under control. In cynicism we cant pray because everything out of control little is possible.With the Good Shepherd no longer leading us through the valley of the shadow of death we need something to maintain our sanity. Cynicisms ironic stance is a weak attempt to maintain a lighthearted equilibrium in a world gone mad....Without the Good Shepherd we are alone in a meaningless story. Weariness and fear leave us feeling overwhelmed unable to move. Cynicism leaves us doubting unable to dream. The combination shuts down our hearts and we just show up for life going through the motions.