Jane withdrew herself from church, stopped all the weekly activities and refused communication with her friends. She adopted the withdrawal syndrome. Self-pity took over her so much, she believed every thought that spanned through her head. “No one values me, I have not achieved anything, no husband, no children, I am rejected and forsaken, God has refused to answer my prayers, there is nothing to show for my Christian life, godless people are even doing far better that I am, unbelievers are flourishing, here I am alone and sad.” These were her musings.
I can relate with Jane’s experience. I have been there. Some were not just my thoughts but realities, they did happen to me. Unfortunately, I was unable to understand what Satan aimed at; making God look like a liar. God cannot lie. His Words will surely prevail.
Self-pity is the most worthless emotion. It discourages us from thinking realistically and clearly. It leaves us so short-sighted that we compare the life of carnal and worldly people with our own lives as though they are the gauge for our standard of success. We forget who we are and Who our father is.Self-pity pushes us into discontinuing valued relationship with God and stops us from strengthening relationship with fellow believers and friends. It fills us with the spirit of suspicion. We begin to question even the simplest of kind gestures.
Self-pity leaves us physically exhausted and emotionally spent. We can spend hours thinking all manner of thoughts. Sometimes we just cry again and again. It drags us into emotional roller-coaster, happy today and sad tomorrow. We can even at this stage despair unto death. Self-pity is the fog that blinds your view of the SON.Self-pity is a pathetic emotion. It will lie to you. Exaggerate. Drive you to tears. It will cultivate a victim mentality in your head.
Self-pity does come with its siblings: self-assertion, self-love, self-indulgence, self-reliance, self-consciousness, self-righteousness, and self-glorification. Keeping busy with the wrong things robs us of the even better things God has for us.
What is the cure?
Rather than feeling sorry for yourself today, try God’s option. Take a long loving look at the Cross and imagine the suffering and rejection of Christ your Lord. How He chose to die that you may live. Does the life you now live and the way you view His love for you justify His being hung on that Cross? That was what it took God. Making Him a liar is what you do when you wallow in self-pity.
Take a break and stop trying to work things out for yourself, or you maybe complicating matters. Leave them in His hands, and accept His truth about you. God wants to hear our honest concerns, anger, and confusion about our trials, but He also wants us to trust Him.
Focusing on the Lord and praising Him doesn’t mean that we insincerely pretend to enjoy tough times. Instead, we can honestly acknowledge that He is in control of the situation and will guide our every step just as He promised (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Go through life fully according to the truth of His words and leave the issues in His hands. All the worrying over the years has not changed anything. So, why carry on worrying?
To believe is simply to trust, to depend, to rely upon Christ Jesus. In Him, it is guaranteed, joy comes in the morning.
God bless you sisters.
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