Prayer to free yourself from the grip of self-pity
Written by Kelly Ballary
Bible reading:
“Then Jesus said to him, “Rise up, take up your mat and walk.” – John 5:8 NIV
Listen or read below:
After 14 hours of excruciating pain, something had to give. what? I had no idea, because there seemed to be no way out of the excruciating pain I was in.
They directed me to an assigned room in the emergency room. There, only a curtain separated me from the woman next to me. I could hear her moaning and complaining to her family about her situation. I could hear one of the family members comforting her, but then I tried to ignore their conversation. There is no good eavesdropping. I had my own problems.
As I sat on the examination table, the medicine began to take effect. At that moment, I heard a not-so-subtle invitation in my heart. “Kelly, doesn’t it feel good to be doted on by all the nurses? Doesn’t it feel good to get all this attention? Look, you’re getting the attention you need for all these other issues that no one else has acknowledged.”
I felt it in that moment. It was like the devil was offering me a little contract. It’s as if he’s saying, “Hey, Kelly, if you want to stay destitute and sick and pity yourself and be impoverished by others, sign here on the dotted line. If you want to make going to the hospital a routine, sign here, so you can receive physical care that you don’t naturally receive in your daily life.”
I have identified who the devil is. At that moment, I refused his consent and said, “Satan, stand back.”
I wouldn’t have any. I wasn’t going to sign up to feel bad about myself or to crawl off people to feed myself. no way.
Like any man paralyzed on a mat of self-pity, my role was not to stay down, but to rise up. The man on the mat had so many excuses for why he couldn’t do it, why he was depressed, why he was left behind, but he didn’t realize that Jesus was sweetening his excuses and his pain.
What was Jesus’ answer?
“Then Jesus said to him, “Rise up! Take up your mat and walk.” (John 5:8 NIV)
The pain often subsides when you take a new step. When we get up and leave. I know it’s not always easy, especially if you’ve been through a lot, but it’s possible.
Let’s pray:
Father, help us when we are down. Please help me when I feel like I can’t do anything. Instead, show us your path. May we rise up according to your ways. Don’t ask people for things they can only get from you. May we be made strong by your power.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
Discuss today’s devotion with others in the “Daily Prayer” thread in the Crosswalk Forums.
Photo credit: Photo credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Mindful Media
Kelly uplifts believers by increasing their faith. It’s encouraging to receive Kelly’s blog posts by email each week. A cheerleader of the faith, Kelly is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the look on women’s faces when they realize that their God is faithful. Kelly’s work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN’s 700 Club, Relevant, and Today’s Christian Woman.
Related resources: What to do when God seems far away
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Many sincere believers go through seasons when their prayers feel empty, their Bibles feel silent, and God feels mysteriously absent. Especially for leaders, these seasons can feel confusing, discouraging, and even embarrassing.
In this episode of the Unhurried Living podcast, Alan Fadling sits down with theologian and spiritual formation professor Kyle Strobel to discuss his new book, When God Seems Distant, co-written with John Coe. If this episode helps you focus your work and life on God, be sure to follow Unhurried Living on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
