A Life-Changing Choice

There was a time in my life when I had many reasons to feel sorry for myself because of the abuse I had endured during my childhood and because of other things that had happened to me. You may be in that same position right now and be able to think of many reasons to feel sorry for yourself. But I have to tell you that self-pity was a roadblock on my journey to the healing of my soul. It was such a hindrance to me that I devoted an entire chapter to this topic in Healing the Soul of a Woman. If you struggle with self-pity, you might find that chapter very helpful. Self-pity is not something that will go away by itself. We can only break free from it as we refuse to give in to it. After I had struggled with it for a very long time, God spoke to me in a way that changed my life from that moment on. He said, “You can be pitiful or you can be powerful, but you can’t be both. Which one will you choose?”

I had been pitiful for long enough, so I chose powerful. But that doesn’t mean I felt powerful immediately. It simply means I made the choice and decided to let God lead me out of self-pity and into experiencing His power in my life. I hope you will make that choice today, if you haven’t made it already.

The first step toward letting go of one way of feeling and embracing another is to see what God’s Word says about how you have chosen to feel and who you want to be. Here are some scriptures that affirm how powerful you are in Christ. I encourage you to read them and meditate on them. Get them into your heart and mind, and they will begin to change you:

• The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. (Proverbs 28:1 ESV)
• God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV)
• You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. (Acts 1:8 ESV)
• On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. (Psalm 138:3 ESV)
• Since we have such a hope, we are very bold. (2 Corinthians 3:12 ESV)
• His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3 ESV)
• Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 ESV)
• I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 ESV)

Prayer of the Day: Lord, forgive me for embracing self-pity instead of Your power. Help me choose to be powerful in You today, trusting Your strength over my weakness. In Jesus' name, amen.