The Pity of Self-Pity

By | July 11, 2006

Have you ever pitied yourself, telling yourself that you deserve better? I deserve a vacation, obedient children, respect, a good wife, a new toy, or a promotion at work.

Self-pity is often caused by discontent and pride… “I deserve better than this.” In reality, I don’t deserve anything good from God. I have forgotten that sinners deserve God’s wrath. In my arrogance, I think that God should do things differently! “God should do this for me…”

But check out God’s grace to his flock:

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. – Phil 4:19

John Newton had it right when he said: “Everything is needful that He sends; nothing can be needful that He withholds.”

The reason we can trust God is that he is not only sovereign, but he is all good. See also Romans 8:28. How foolish we are to revel in self-pity.