Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord. Psalm 89:15

 

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by circumstances in our lives, but sometimes those feelings can lead to patterns of self-pity whenever life is hard.

 

When Martina was a little girl, she used to leave most arguments or tantrums feeling sorry for herself. She’d wrap herself up in her self-pity, wallowing in her misery. In her mind, Martina was the helpless victim–someone who was always wronged by others and never to blame. Unfortunately, this thinking carried over when she was an adult, making happy, healthy relationships impossible!

 

If you tend to think you’re always right, something’s wrong. It might indicate you’re in an abusive relationship, but it’s also possible you’re seeing the world through the lens of self-pity.

 

Martina learned several ways to break the power of self-pity in her life. First, she discovered the power of thanking God and praising Him. The Bible’s Psalm 89:15 says, “Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.” Lifting her eyes off herself, Martina found courage and perspective that helped her take responsibility for how she could have handled a situation differently and gave her the peace she needed to have calm conversations. Martina had gotten very good at attacking others with their words but spending time with God thanking Him for His goodness reminded Martina that we all need God and come to Him equally desperate for His help.

 

If you get stuck in patterns of feeling sorry for yourself or making everyone else out as villains, take time to think about the greatness and goodness of God from which He offers you help! He is our source of peace for all of our relationships.