We must stop the vicious cycle of feeling sorry for ourselves. I have a friend who always says you can choose to be bitter or better. Well in this instance, you can choose to be pitiful or powerful! Which one do you want? Feeling sorry for ourselves can lull our sensibility to others. It can make us self-engrossed, so that we feel as though we are the center of the world and everything has to revolve around us. We convince ourselves that nobody ever suffered like this. When we suffer, it should not render us to self-pitying, but make us more sensitive to the needs of others. For me personally, I can sometimes have a carefree attitude to others when they are sharing their story and it is a painful one. This can change in an instant when their story becomes mine. When self pity strikes there are several scriptures to grab hold of. Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Psalm 16:5 "Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup, and have made my lot secure"? Even though there are small bumps and big bumps in our roads, be certain God can work it for good. He can work it for good if we trust Him with the situation and respond in complete devotion and obedience to Him. I have always loved Psalm 16:5. Most of us look at our lives and see a lot of things we would like to remove (the hurts) and add (the smiles). As I write this, for some reason my mind goes to a lot of hurts I wish I hadn't had. However, I know those happened for a reason. The challenge is when we are given our portion and our cup as mentioned in the scripture in Psalms above and it isn't easy, we struggle to find a peace. We need to remind ourselves, God has assigned this to me. I frequently ask why during my circumstances, however I know He loves me and wouldn't give me something He couldn't use for His glory. That just isn't Who He is. Remember His glory is very different from our earthly glory. What matters to Him is based on an eternity - not today! We look at today and the short term. When we are able to get through the initial, temporal pain of our circumstances, we begin to start breathe. However, breathing during those painful times is an art and not many of us have mastered it. Remind yourself of this - you will get to the other side of your trial. I am reminded of some of the things that upset my daughter. I know because I have 30 years on her that in a year or two or three, her hurt today will not matter. But for her today it is painful. God sees us in the same way. He knows our hurts - yet He also knows we will make it through and be able to look back and see His hand upon us.
We all have a tendency to sink into apathy and curl up with self-pity. What a faithful follower of Christ should do is patiently and quietly wait, trusting God to make things right in His perfect time. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 6:24 When we pity ourselves because of our circumstances, we fail to see God at work in us. The faithful believer understands God always has their best and ETERNAL interests at heart. It is human nature to respond to life's difficulties with self-pity. We exercise a "woe is me" reaction, feeling our suffering is undeserved. God through His word provides the solutions to alleviate self-pity. He is watching us and hopeful we will embrace it. Pray for His help, rest, find a new focus and new expectations, repent of sins, and take obedient action. When God speaks to Elijah in the book of 1 Kings, he commands him to get up and get moving. He wants Elijah to choose Godly action based on obedience rather than inaction based on emotions. Instead of embracing self pity, embrace the possibility of all God can do through these circumstances. Begin to detox today and flush away!!
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:13
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