The Pit of Self-Pity

Self-pity is the pits.
 
Elijah, mighty man of God, witnessed a momentous miracle when the Lord sent fire from heaven to fry the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18). Elijah should be elated and celebrating, throwing a victory party, shouting the praises of his deliverer and redeemer. Instead, the prophet is holed up in a dark cave personally engaged in a full-blown pity-poor-me party on the backside of desolate, depressing Mt. Horeb.  
 
‘Then he came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here Elijah?” And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life to take it away.’   I Kings 19: 10
 
Sucking his spiritual thumb and dragging his woe is me blankie, Elijah laments before the Lord how bad things are going for him. Elijah, running for his life from the death threats of wicked Jezebel, wanted to die.  
 
Feeling sorry for himself, God’s man is stuck in the muck of “poor me”.        
           
Poor me. You gotta be kidding Elijah! Your very own eyes witnessed the fury and fire of the Lord of heaven and earth. Almighty God vindicated His holy name and made you look pretty good too.  
           
So how in the world could fiery, fearless, faithful Elijah descend from the mountaintop of miracles to the pit of self-pity?
 
 He took his eyes off God, fixing his eyes on himself.
 
The essence of self-pity is poor me. Pity poor me. Woe is me! My life is so miserable. Everybody is after me. Nothing is working out. Nobody is helping me. In today’s vernacular, my life sucks. I am alone. Nobody cares. I might as well throw in the towel and die. Sound familiar?
 
Being self-centered, self-pity blinds our spiritual eyes to God and what He can do. 
 
Self-pity zeroes in on our problems, not God’s solutions. Self-absorption and selfishness feed self-pity’s appetite. Self-pity is self-serving and self-destructive. Self-pity people, instead of sucking it up and moving on with God’s help, sit down and spin their wheels in the muck of poor me.  
 
Personally, I have actively participated in self-pity parties, and I hate them! I despise what the spirit of self-pity does to me. Self-pity turns me into a self-centered, thumb-sucking, blankie dragging, spoiled little brat who manipulates others to get his way. And I am sixty-seven years old!
           
There is no place for self-pity in the lives of God’s people. A person who is self-centered is off-centered. People who are all wrapped up in themselves are over dressed. Sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves is not a picture of success. 
 
You and I are not to be pitied by ourselves, God or anyone. Jesus Christ has set us free from ourselves! We Christians should be singing God’s praises for delivering us from sin’s selfishness. Praise parties, not pity-poor-me parties are more appropriate for God’s kids.   
 
Someone has said “It’s all right to sit on your pitty potty from time to time, just flush when you are done.” I will let you apply this thought to your life!  
 
May I share a couple of realities that might shake us out of self-pity?
 

• Our Lord Jesus Christ never threw a self-pity party.
• God never gives in to self-pity tantrums.  
• Positive, healthy people run away from self-pity people.
• Family and friends get really tired of our self-pity sessions.
• Satan loves self-pity people. Self pity is spawned from the pit of hell.
• Self-pity increases, never decreases our difficulties.
• Self-pity always sets us back from coming back from setbacks.    

 
Self-pity is pitiful! When life is challenging, and it will be, resist the temptation to slip into the pit of self-pity. The slippery slopes of self-pity will only lead you to discouragement and despair.
 
Stay out of the pit of self-pity. Stand firm in your faith in the One who loves you and believes in you,  but will never pity you. 
 
If you are having a pity-party, go ahead right now and slam the door on self-pity. Open the door to God’s lovingkindness, mercy and grace.
 
 “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God.”                                                                                                                           Psalm 42:11
 
A Word For Your Week: Tell self-pity to take a hike when it knocks on the door of your heart.