ARE YOU GOING TO CHOOSE SELF-PITY?

Giving everything to God can seem so easy. We say, "Here, you go, God, take this from me". But then the next couple of moments come, or days, or maybe months, and we still feel like we are in the same battle.

If you haven't been there, hats off to you. But if you haven't, you are either very resilient because you have a deep understanding of the word, or you just haven't gotten there yet.

When you get to the point where you feel like the storm is not letting up, even though you clearly told God, "here you go". This is the point where you literally feel like the walls are closing in. You have done what you can. But it literally feels like there is no way out. Well, this is the point I am talking about.

This is the point where you have a couple of paths you can take. Either one of those paths will open up doors to one of two masters. It will open up the door to God if you truly have given everything to him. Or it will open up the door to Satan, who is waiting for you to allow that foothold into your casa.

I would like to say that I have always given it all to God. But I haven't. There has been slow growth of self-pity in situations I have been through, which have taken root.

When we walk into unknown situations, unplanned circumstances, the human brain wants to think Why me? Especially the Christian. We look around and see others walking in what we want. Succeeding in areas we have worked hard in.

Then there is this thought occurs. First, it is subtle. It is why? Why me? Or why not me? Then there is a slight bitterness that occurs. Then there is anger that occurs. Then, there is a habit of staying in this mindset that occurs.

Self-pity is subtle. It really is of the enemy. Self-pity comes from mindsets and thoughts. Mindsets and thoughts are where the enemy creeps in. Because these are what create habits. Habits are what form our days. And days can turn into months that can turn into years. All of these terms are words for time in our vocabulary. And we can't just produce time. We have been privileged to be given it. It's a gift from the Lord. And the enemy's main tactic is to steal it, so that we can't use it to the best of our ability.

When we get to the point where self-pity is trying to take over.....this is the point where we need to choose to do two things that seem so opposite and not possible. But they work together, and it is possible.

When the walls are closing in, that means that we have taken every avenue that we know of. Meaning we have prayed, we have fasted, we have praised, we have responded in the best way logically. But there is nowhere to go if every wall is coming your way. So you stand. You can't run at this point because you are in the middle of it. The scripture tells us verbatim, "When you have done all that you can do, just stand."

The second is that you allow yourself to hit rock bottom. I don't mean go on a binge of getting drunk. Or throwing yourself into something regrettable. No, you face the reality. That you are not the answer. You never were and never will be. You can't know the answer, so you need a miracle. The rock bottom seasons are pivotable. The scripture says:

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." -Romans 5:3-5

This is one of my favorite scriptures. No one really wants to go through suffering. But there is something inside of you that grows when you are in the thick of it. These situations produce that character of resilience that you didn't think you had. The valleys of life are actually more pleasant than you think. The valleys make or break a person.

The valleys are where, just like David did, we face the giants. David and Goliath were actually in a valley when he killed the giant. The valleys are where we get a reflection of what our heart contains and what we are made of.

Staying in self-pity will break you and cause you to lose time and lose battles. If David had never shown up, the rest of God's army would have still been cowards in their self-pity for another two months. Losing time.

What path are you going to take? Are you going to say why me and choose self-pity, or are you going to take a stand?