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Get Off Your Pity Pot!

By Pastor J.D. Link

Abundant Grace Fellowship Church, Blanco, TX

Have you thanked God lately for all He has done for you? Have you taken the time out of your busy schedule just to stop and say “Thanks, Lord”? It’s important that we always make time to talk to God, and be thankful for what He’s done for us, in us, and through us. The Bible says being thankful is God’s will for us (1Thess 5:18). There may be some people reading this that are going through a rough time right now, and they don’t see much to be thankful for. They only see their problem.

You know, that’s really typical of the flesh. No matter how many great things God has done in your life; no matter how many prayers He’s answered; no matter how many times He’s come through for you: You still only see the problem in front of you right now! What makes it even worse, is that you see your problem as too big for God to handle! Christians are severely near sighted. They focus so much on the problem in their life at any given moment, that it consumes them. Satan may throw a toothpick on their narrow path; and by the time they are done focusing on the toothpick (the problem), it’s a huge baseball bat that He’s beating them over the head with.

We need to stop glorifying our problems; and start glorifying our Lord in the midst of our problems (Dan 3:24-25, Zeph 3:17). Quit talking to God about your mountain, and start talking to your mountain about God (Mk 11:22-24). God has done so many wonderful things in our lives; but as soon as any trouble comes our way, we fall apart like an eight dollar go cart. The children of Israel did the same thing. Time and time again they saw God do awesome things for them; but as soon as the next problem would come up, they would be right back on their pity pot: grumbling, complaining, murmuring; wishing they were back in Egypt! We all have the tendency to want to go get on our pity pot and sit a spell when things don’t go our way, don’t we? We like to sulk awhile, feel sorry for ourselves, say “woe is me”, sing “Nobody knows, the trouble……..”. You know what God asks the Believer while they’re on their pity pot? “What are you doing here?”

In 1 Kings chapter 19, we see the prophet Elijah “getting on his pity pot”, so to speak. In chapters 17 & 18, Elijah saw God do awesome things through him. He spoke The Word of God, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years! He was miraculously fed at the brook Cherith; he saw miracles by his word done at Zarephath; and he called fire from heaven on mount Carmel! Elijah had truly seen God come through in mighty ways; but now, because of one threat from Jezebel, he wants to die (1Ki 19:1-4)! Aren’t we so many times like Elijah? Notice God doesn’t say “Oh poor Elijah, I understand”. No, He asks “What are you doing here?” (1Ki 19:9, 13). God had things for Elijah to do (1Ki 19:15-16), and he wanted to know why Elijah was feeling sorry for himself.

Do you know God has a plan for your life? Do you know God has things He wants you to accomplish? There may be great things God has in store for you, but your too busy feeling sorry for yourself. As a Christian, you are not a victim! You have the victory (1Cor 15:57)! You are more than a conqueror (Rom 8:37)! You are always caused to triumph (2Cor 2:14)! Refuse to be depressed! Throw your pity pot away; no good ever comes from sitting on it anyway! The drug companies say you need their pill, but the pill you need is God’s pill, the Gos-pel! Sure your going to have problems in life, we all do; but our focus needs to be on The Problem Solver, not on the problem. Don’t forget that with God, all things are possible (Mt 19:26)! Until next time, rejoice in The Lord! (Phi 4:4)