Staying Focused

There are many games that people play in life, and I’m not talking about games that bring enjoyment and pleasure, I’m talking about emotional games that people play. Consider the game we’ve seen performed that is best described as the “self pity party”.
When you have witnessed this game in the lives of individuals you wonder what’s really happening in their lives. Since we’ve all seen or experienced this type of situation in our lives, the question for those that are Christians would be can a Christian have a “self pity party?
Certainly in life there are situations that will bring us down. There are moments that we will be disheartened. These moments will break our stride, they will cause us to turn our eyes and look away longer then we should. I would venture to say that we’ve all been there and experienced such that causes a let down in our energy or passion to do or get things done. Living life as humans has some elements to overcome. It is unfortunate that we are not already perfect but if that we’re the case then I think we would miss out on one of those great beneficent blessings of Heaven, being with the perfect Savior and the perfect Lord in the perfect place. Not sure about you, but I’m thinking I’ll hold off on my being perfect here and now for until then.
With such experiences happening in our imperfect world how is a Christian to respond to such adversity or broken spirit? Matthew 6:16 talks about fasting and it reads, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you”.
Now I’m sure that until He comes we are going to have some “self pity” moments in our lives, but I am sure from this scripture and others I think it can also be clearly said we need to learn to keep a happy public face during difficult times and trying moments, and by doing so earn more favor from the Lord.
I would say that their will not be many signing up to put on their happy public faces, but then again, as I’m thinking, I believe I know a lot of folks who have placed their discipline and confidence in the Lord and they are smiling and not attempting to disfigure their faces to show their present conditions.
The “self pity party” is an experience that we read about in the Bible from Jonah to prophets of old, and Christians are not exempt from the experience, but I believe we can see from the Bible some proper steps to take when the urge to stay in that party overwhelms us. It’s time to be a big sunflower seed and let our lights shine through every circumstance even when we do not feel like being a vessel of the Lord.
Yes, the Bible certainly says there is a time for everything, and maybe you like I would have eliminated this one, but He didn’t so we’ve just got to live with it and press on!

Until then