No More Pity Parties!
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12: 8-10
Photo by Anh Nguyen on Unsplash
A pity party. A whine fest. Ever had one? Of course you have. We all have! I was having one today when a friend sent me this verse which after some meditation set me back on course.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12: 8-10
The situations of our lives are not always pleasant, and it especially hurts when our persecutions come from the ones we love the most. We may have a health issue to deal with, a financial crisis, lost a loved one, been made fun or shunned because of our faith, lost a job, or any host of problems. But, the good news is, God saw these things coming, and he is waiting to take over the situation for us!Following Christ comes at a cost, but we cannot sit and feel sorry for ourselves because someone doesn’t understand our decisions or pain has entered our world. It is, however, in this pain that we can choose to surrender to Christ. I’m pretty sure that the sweetest six words to His ears are... “I can’t do this any more!” For when we surrender to Christ, he can begin to work in and through us. When we step out of the way, then Christ is glorified!
Paul, the writer of this verse, was beaten with rods, shipwrecked 3 times, in danger from bandits, in danger at sea and in danger in the country. He had labored and toiled, went without sleep, food and water. He was cold and naked (2 Cor. 11:25-27). He knew persecution, rejection, and pain! And I’m guessing it was way worse than anything we’ve endured. But he kept his eyes focused on the prize... eternity with Christ.
No more pity parties! When we pity ourselves we are not trusting God. We are allowing our situation to sit on the throne.We need to instead be thankful for our inability to handle a situation and praise God that he can! For when we are weak, then we are strong!
Though it’s contrary to our nature, we must force ourselves to stop whining and start praising instead. The more we practice the better we get! So, keep those praise verses handy! Here are a few to get you started!
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Ps. 46:1)
Clap your hands, all you nations, shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the Lord Most High. (Ps. 47:1-2)
Sing for joy to God our strength, shout aloud to the God of Jacob. (Ps. 81:1)
Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. (Ps 68:19)
Rise up, O Lord, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mightly acts. (Ps. 21:13)
And my favorites:
Just thinking of my troubles and my lonely wandering makes me miserable... Then I remember something that fills me with hope. The LORD’s kindness never fails! (Lamentations 3:19-21)
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you singing the blues? Fix my eyes on God-- soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. (Ps. 42:11 MSG)
Please note: We would never want to dismiss your hurt nor would we ever want to make you feel like you can’t cry or be affected by your hurt. There is definitely a time for grieving and you have a God who is always ready to hear your pain. It is our encouragement that in the right moment you are able to find a way out of your hurt, that you are never alone in the dark for too long, and that you can always feel God’s presence and hope that surrounds your every step.