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“Joyful or Self-Pity”

Joyful or Self-Pity

Have you ever met someone who seems to always be joyful?  They look on the bright side of everything.  I have met a few.  These are the kind of people who are really fun to be around.  On the other hand, we all have met people who are always in the self-pity mode.  You may be one of them.  It doesn’t see to matter what is happening in life they are just in this “poor me” pit.  They are not happy.  And no one really likes to be around them.

Self-Pity

When looking self-pity up in the dictionary it said, “Self-Pity is to have pity for oneself, especially self-indulgent attitude concerning one’s own difficulties, hardships etc.”

One thing that I have seen in these types of people is that they never take any responsibility for what circumstances they may be in.  They may be there because of their own doing but it is always someone else fault, in their minds, a lot of times.  If they don’t blame others they whine about how horrible of a person they are.

It sounds like a type of person none of us really want to be around but the reality is we all can be like this now and then.  We are not happy when we get in this mode and it makes everyone around us unhappy.

It reminds me of the story in the Bible about King Ahab.  There was a vineyard he wanted to have that was near his palace.  But the man who owned it did not want to get rid of it.  It had been a part of his family’s heritage and he did not want to part with it.  Ahab was not happy.  He went home and was having a feel sorry for me pity party.  “And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would not eat bread” (See 1 Kings 21:1-4).

What Self-Pity can lead to?

When we are constantly in the self-pity mode it does not lead to anything good.  In Ahab’s case, the man was killed and Ahab got what he wanted.  What a spoiled brat.  But this is the reality of our world today.  If people don’t get what they want they go out and kill people.  Now, not everyone is doing the actual deed but they are full of so much hate and anger that they are killing in their heart.

What are the “rewards” for self-pity?

It really brings death and sorrow for others.  When we get caught up in self-pity, which really falls in line with pride as well, we are really dead inside.  There is no joy or happiness.  We make the life of others miserable as well.  And in the end, it will bring eternal death.  God will not allow someone full of self-pity and pride into His Kingdom because that would just bring more misery.

Joyful

This is a much more joyful subject to dwell upon.  This is what the dictionary said, “Full of joy, as a person or one’s heart; glad; delight.  Showing or expressing joy, as looks, actions, or speech.”  I don’t know about you but it brings a sense of joy to my heart just reading it’s meaning.

We all know what it is like to be around a person who is joyful.  We are drawn to that type of person.  As Christians, we have every reason to be joyful.  “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous:  and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.  Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright”. Psalms 32:11 & 33:1.

What are the rewards of joy?

What being joyful does to us emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually is not explainable.  If you have not experienced it, how can I ever explain it?  But those who have experienced it know what I am talking about.  How we think, how we respond, or how we act affects us greatly.  Keeping our minds positive and in a joyful spirit can help us go a long way.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”  I also like Proverbs 15:13, which says, “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”  So being joyful is the key to a better life.  So what are the rewards?  A much more fulfilling life and ultimately, eternal life.

What can produce joy?

The first thing that comes to mind is what Christ has done for us.  If we dwell upon the love that Christ had for us in coming and taking our place in eternal death, if we so choose to accept it, wow! How amazing.  This can produce a joy in our hearts that is beyond expression.  Just like Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 10:20, “…but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

A clear conscience can bring joy.  When we have fallen in love with Jesus, we will not want to do anything that is displeasing to Him.  And when we know we are right with Him it brings joy.  2 Corinthians 1:12 says, “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience…”

Keeping the commands in God’s Word can bring joy

When we are in love with Jesus it is not a drudgery to keep God’s commands.  We may have a struggle with self at times but when we fully surrender all to God it brings so much joy.  Just like it says in Psalms 19:8, “The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

God’s promises bring joy

When you have full trust in God we can cling to His promises and they bring joy to our hearts. When I am having a down day if I take a promise and dwell upon it the joy of the Lord becomes my strength.  “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16

When we share with others the wisdom of God’s Word, we get joy.

Every time we share with others the joy of our salvation it produces joy in us.  “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth:  and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” Proverbs 15:23.  There is so much joy in sharing a word in due season.

Persecution and trials can also produce joy.

You may wonder how this is possible.  It is only possible as we surrender all to God and trust in His plan.  I like this promise, 1 Peter 4:12, 13, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trials which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”  I also love this one in James 1:2, 3,  “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

As we see those we share with grow in Christ it also produces joy in us.

I don’t know about you but this brings such joy to me when I see others growing in Christ.  When I see the joy that they are experiencing as they learn more about Christ and fall more and more in love with Him.  lll John 4 says it all, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”  He is referring to those that were growing in the Lord.  It can be our own children for sure but I believe it includes all those around us that are growing.  It definitely brings ultimate joy when we see our own children growing in the grace of Christ.

Joy is produced in us when a job is well done.

When we obey the Lord in what He has asked us to do it brings a joy.  He has given us all abilities and when we use them for Him it produces joy.  And these are the words that I know I want to hear someday and I pray you do as well.  “…Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things…enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”  Matthew 25:21.  As we surrender and walk with Christ, hand in hand joy will be produced in us.

What are some practical everyday things I can do to experience joy?

  1. Be grateful.  Start a grateful journal.  We tend to forget the good things in life.  But we also need to be grateful even for the trials and difficulties that come our way, knowing, “…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28
  2. Cry out to God.  When we do have difficulty instead of grinding about it and focusing on it cry out to God for help, courage, and strength.  “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knows not.” Jeremiah 33:3. As we cry out to God in time of trouble with an attitude of unconditional surrender then when God works we can testify to what He has done.  When I can testify of God’s goodness to me the thrill of joy is amazing.
  3. Sing praises to God.  “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” Ephesians 5:19, 20.  I know when I sing it I can’t help but start to feel joyful.
  4. Talk of God’s wondrous works.  As we testify of God and what He has done in our lives or in the lives of others it brings joy to the heart.  “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.  Glory in his holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.” 1Chronicles 16:9, 10
  5. Glory in His name.  “Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.  Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.  Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;” Psalms 105:3-5
  6. Seek His face continually.  We need to be seeking Him constantly.  “Seek the Lord and his strength, see his face continually.”  1Chronicles 16:11.

“The joy of the Lord is our strength” so we need to allow His joy to fill our hearts.

Dear Father,

As we seek You, fill our hearts with Your joy.  Thank You for Your promises.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Get out of the self-pity mode today and fill your life with joy.  It is a choice!

Love you all.

What steps have you taken to keep you on the path of joy instead of self-pity?

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“Rejoice Always? Really?!!”

Rejoice

Have you ever had the thought, “How can I really be joyful in this life?  There is so much sorrow so how can I have so much sorrow and really rejoice?”  It is hard to understand how sorrow and joy can coincide but they really can.  We cannot do it in and of ourselves.  It is only as we allow the Lord to have full access to our lives that we can rejoice through it all.

What we see

We see so little compared to what God sees.  We may listen to the news and hear all the evils that are transpiring in this world.  But we see so little compared to what God sees.  He sees it all.

I am going to veer off here for a few sentences.  May I suggest that listening to the news is nonproductive?  I don’t listen, read, or watch the news.  There may be little snippets I see posted on Facebook or someone may mention to me, “Did you hear….?”  I usually haven’t heard so they give me a little run down.  Sometimes I check it out further but for the most part, I don’t.  What does it gain us in our spiritual walk to focus on the wickedness of this world?  It is discouraging and can suck the joy out of life.  How many people are depressed and angry because of what they dwell upon?  We have got to keep our focus where it belongs.   Our focus should be on having a solid connection with God and then be a witness for Him through our lives.

God sees

God sees all the wickedness of this world but He is also rejoicing, “over one sinner that repenteth.”  And yet it pains His heart every time we don’t accept His ways and choose the wicked things of this world to fill our lives.  The wicked things can be filling our lives as we do them or it can be filling our lives as we vicariously take part.

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

If we would make this our Motto in life it would make a difference.  Just because it is claimed to be “true” doesn’t mean it is of “good report”.  When I think of the news there is so much bent to what is said you never really do know what is true.  It is all bent to whatever political party they represent.  Well, I want to represent the “political” party of Jesus.  I want to be like Christ.

Prepare

The only way that we can be like Christ is to be prepared.  We need to be in the God’s Word and in prayer.  As we are in the word we need to be storing it in our hearts by putting it to memory.  This is the only way we will be able to rejoice through all circumstances.

This reminds me of a story that was shared with me.  It was about two men that climbed a mountain together.  It was a dangerous mountain.  The mountain was steep with rock climbing as well as ice climbing.  The mountain was also higher elevation.  It was dangerous with lots of crevasses as well.  I don’t remember how many days it took to make it to the top but they did make it.

The descent

The difficulty came on their descent.  One of them, when going slowly down through the snow stepped in a spot that sent him over the edge.  He broke his leg majorly.  They came up with a plan of how they could get down.  His friend would get well positioned and then lower him 300’, then he would station himself and his friend would follow.  It was a very painful thing for him to be lowered but it was life or death.  His friend couldn’t “care” about his screams of pain he just had to keep lower him.

Then came the time that his friend lowered him and he dropped over a cliff and was hanging and he could not get to the ledge to get well established so his friend could descend.  They were too far apart to communicate so they both waited in the dangerously cold night.  I don’t remember how long his friend waited but he eventually had to make the hardest decision of a person’s life.  He had to decide to cut the rope.  It was now life or death for himself.  He could not survive if he did not keep moving down.

It was so hard to arrive back at camp, where there was another guy waiting for them.  He explained what had happened.  He was in such bad shape himself with frostbite and exhaustion, besides the emotional trauma.  The guy that had remained at the camp felt they should go from base camp down right away but he could not get him to leave.

Falling

When the rope was cut loose the guy on the other end fell into a crevasse.  Surprisingly,  he survived the fall but now what.  He had a lot of rope but what good is that when you have a broken leg.  He anchored himself so he wouldn’t fall farther and called for help but there was no answer.  After a while, he decided to lower himself into the crevasse more to see if there was another way out because he had tried to climb up but with his broken leg he could not.

As he lowered himself he found a spot that was a gradually going up vertically and he was able to crawl out of the crevasse.  It was very painful, and took great effort and several days, with no food or much water to make it back to camp.  What he did not know is when he got to camp would there be anyone there.  But thankfully when he did make it back to camp his friend was still there and his life was spared.  It was nothing more than miraculous.  We have such a drive to live that we will push our bodies beyond the limit in an effort to survive and live.

Do you want to live?

As I have thought of this story it made me think about eternal life.  It actually brought tears to my eyes thinking about it.  We will put so much effort into surviving in this life but how much effort do we put into surviving for eternal life.

Having eternal life is a life and death situation.  How much privation are we willing to endure to survive.  Our spiritual bodies are broken and it is painful but how much effort are we willing to make no matter how much pain or privation it causes.  Are we willing to give up those things that will keep us from having eternal life?  Are we agonizing with God to the point of our sweat being “as great drops of blood” like Jesus did?  Do we want to live?  How much effort are we willing to make?

There will come a time that all our human resources will be cut off and it will be up to us to choose the right things and make the right choices.  We will be alone.  Some of us may even be alone at this moment in our choices to live.  There will come a time ahead of us that we will no longer have “food” (God’s Word) to nourish our spiritual bodies.  There will come a time when “water” will be scarce.  Are we filling ourselves with “food” (God’s Word) right now so that when the time comes we will be sustained?

Grim

You might be saying about now, “I thought you were talking about rejoicing, this sounds grim.”  It may sound grim.  But I can tell you from experience that as I surrender all to the Lord and walk side by side with Him, filling my life with His Word, it brings joy.  I can rejoice through the trials, privations, and hardships.  But if I dwell or get involved with the things of this world, joy fades away.

No matter what we may be going through as long as we are surrendered to God we can know that it will all work for our good.  In this, we can rejoice.

Dear Father,

Help us to see our need for You in our lives.  You are the only One that can give us peace and joy, as we surrender to Your will.  Continue to show us the way.  Thank You for Your patience with us.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Surrender all to God today.  Keep your focus on Him and fill your mind with His Word.

Love you all.

What do you do to help keep joy in your life?