(Am posting a poem written expressly for the Internet a few months back in the hopes that it will give a lift to those who are struggling with depression and despair. My heart goes out to those who are finding life tough these days, and are sinking into self-pity. But we followers of Jesus have learned life is no picnic at times, and I tell myself, do not ever forget all those saintly souls who have trod the path before us, who endured far worse than anything we're liable to encounter. So, the following poem...)
"Shun Self-pity"
(c) By: Sharon Slaton Howell
If discouragement and self-pity
were from our heavenly Father,
we would do the best
we could with it,
and grow stronger thereby.
But it isn't from God;
it's from the devil,
and while we're wallowing in it,
and wallowing is not too strong a word,
(picture yourself doing this --
dignified isn't it?)
we're lost in self,
and can't be about our work
of loving and helping others.
Remember this:
it isn't primarily us evil is after;
it's to interfere with Christ
working in us to bless others.
