Beware of pity parties

 

Yesterday I shared with a group of women that we must begin our prayers with praise lest we focus on our problems and forget that God is sufficient. We also pray for others because a focus on ourselves can draw us into throwing a pity party. Today I’m reminded that I need to practice what I preach. Pity parties are easy when tired, achy, and the to-do list is longer than humanly possible.

Today’s devotional begins with this line: Victory over present circumstances comes when you focus on your eternal inheritance and praise God for it. My first thought was “does it?” One of my relatives has severe MS and when her hubby, a forward thinker, talks about future hope, she gets angry — because she wants to be well again right now. For her, a future hope is not helpful.

Some days I understand that. Enduring present discomfort doesn’t seem a matter of looking for light at the end of a long dark tunnel. However, the Bible is filled with thoughts like this:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:3–4)

God promises me a rich inheritance with a variety of dimensions. Jesus said, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34) indicating that His kingdom is a major part of it. It is also an eternal kingdom and will include all that God turns “from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:17–18) I can look forward to an eternity blessed by fellowship with millions of people who have been transformed into the image of Christ. That will be a delight.

The Bible does say, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” then adds, “these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). This tells me that if I pay attention, God will show me what I must look forward to. He knows the lure of present circumstances; they are sometimes easy to praise Him for, and sometimes easy to throw pity parties. He tells me:

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:2)

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16–18)

I’m also reminded that Peter once tried to start a pity party. Jesus said He would be arrested and killed and Peter protested saying “Far be it from you, Lord? This shall never happen to you.” But Jesus turned and said to Him, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:21-23)

The things of man includes a powerful desire for personal control and comfort, both of which can rob me of the abundant life Jesus promised for here and now. Wallowing in self-pity will not take away that promised inheritance but it will quench the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit and ruin my ability to love and edify others.

PRAY: Jesus, the only party that makes You the star attraction is a praise party, one filled with thanksgiving for all You have done and all You have promised. When I turn my thoughts to ‘poor me’ I am forgetting that You have blessed me beyond all expectations. Please grant me the grace to say no to all self-pity and yes to being grateful and filled with thankfulness for all You have done and are doing for me.

PONDER: Read 1 Peter 1:3-7 again, praising and thanking Jesus for His party favors!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:3–7)