A prayer to free yourself from the grip of self-pity
By Kelly Balarie
Bible reading:
“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Take your mat and walk. – John 5:8 NIV
Listen or read below:
After fourteen hours of excruciating pain, something must have given. What? I had no idea, as there seemed to be no escape from the excruciating pain I was in.
They took me to the room assigned to me in the emergency room. There, only a curtain separated me from the woman next to me. I could hear him moaning and complaining to a family member about his situation. I hear a family member comforting her, and at that point I try to ignore their discussion. There is no such thing as good listening. I had my own problems.
Sitting on the doctor’s table, the medicine took effect. That’s when I heard a not-so-subtle invitation in my mind: “Kelly, doesn’t it feel good to be adored by all the nurses? Isn’t it nice to have all this attention? Look, you have the compassion for all these other problems that no one else has ever acknowledged.”
I felt it then. It was almost like the devil was presenting me with a little deal. Like he’s saying, “Hey, Kelly, sign here on the dotted line if you want to stay needy, stay sick, continue to feel sorry for yourself and need others. Sign here if you want to establish a routine of visiting the hospital because you’re receiving physical care that you don’t naturally receive in life.”
I identified the devil as he was. At that point I rejected his agreement and said, “Satan, get behind me. »
I wouldn’t have any of it. I wasn’t going to sign up to feel bad about myself or to get rid of a man to feed my flesh. Certainly not.
My role, like the paralyzed man on the carpet of self-pity, was not to stay down, but to get up. The man on the mat, who had many excuses for why he couldn’t do it, why he was down, why he was left behind, did not find Jesus coddling his excuses or his pain.
Jesus’ response?
“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Take your mat and walk. (John 5:8 NIV)
The pain is often healed as we take the next step in our walk. As 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 us pray:
Father, help us when we feel down. Help us where it seems we have no way. Instead, show us your way. May we rise again according to Your ways. Help us not to look to people for what we can only get from You. May we be strong in the power of your might.
In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Discuss today’s devotion with others in the Your Daily Prayer Thread on the pedestrian crossing forum.
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Related Resource: What to Do When God Seems Far Away
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In this episode of Unhurried Life PodcastAlan Fadling sits down with theologian and spiritual formation teacher Kyle Strobel to discuss the new book When God Seems Distant, co-written with John Coe. If this episode helps you refocus your work and life on God, be sure to follow Live without haste on Apple Or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
