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Lou Coleman
By Lou Coleman
For some time now, the Holy Spirit has been saying to me, “No more pity parties!” We are not victims. It’s time out for feeling sorry for ourselves. Is God saying this because He has lost His compassion? No. God is saying “no more pity parties” because He has already released us from every trap. We are agonizing over matters that God has already resolved. Stop It!
In 1 Corinthians 10:13, God made an important promise. He told us that we could never be backed into a corner. In every temptation and challenge, He has already given us a way out. That means that whatever we are facing right now, we have a righteous way out. We are not waiting for a way out – we have the way out. Why should we ever feel depressed or overwhelmed when God has already given us the way out? Choose Gratitude. It’s so much more empowering than feeling sorry for yourself. Chew on that one for a while!
Our problem is that we think that the world revolves around us. Well, I got some news for you. The world does not revolve around you. You are not the center of the world; you are a part of it. There are people out there who think the world revolves around them; that everything somehow ends up being about them. They drive us nuts. Yet there are times we drive ourselves nut thinking the same thing, even if with less vanity. We take things too personally; we don’t think about the other person, just our own part in whatever the situation, thinking it’s either all our fault, or that it has something to do with us, even when we end up finding it has nothing to do with us. Let’s call a spade a spade…. Selfishness…..that’s what having a pity party is all about…. and if you didn’t know, let me just tell you that “Selfishness,” is the enemy of God. The enemy of God’s sovereignty and His mercy.
Listen, Jesus serves as an example of someone who if anyone could have warranted having a pity party for himself. He faced what no one will ever have to face. What no one else could bare to face….
and yet Christ went to the cross not deserving it, but taking the weight of our sin upon Himself as He was about to die an agonizing death upon the cross for which He did not deserve, but He took our place of guilt in order to remove our sins. He did not sing a song of pity words of”.. Troubles…I’ve got more than anyone.” He did not whine or complain or pout about the cross. He did not ask for…… or throw his own pity party!
The conclusion of the matter and our response is clear: We need to recognize we all are capable of self pity. We need to let adversity lead us to God and not lead us to whining, complaining , quitting or having pity parties. If you sense that you are slipping into self pity… take rest in knowing that God will lift you up if the weight of pity begins to bring you down., but only if you let Him. Stop wasting your time complaining. Stop throwing your pity party. Just praise the Lord.
May the God of truth enable us to carefully and rightly dissect His precious Word, allowing God’s Word to say what it says, remembering that God says what He means and means what He says. May we be those who tremble at His Word (Isaiah 66:1-2).
