Recently I heard a story of a local Church that had trouble finding a new youth pastor, seems the reason why it was so hard was because they couldn't find a candidate willing to accept the position for less than $100k per year. Wow, whatever happened to being called? I have heard of preachers and pastors who have been so shaken by end times events they'd begun taking antidepressants and visiting psychiatrists in an attempt to 'feel better'. What on Earth is going on? This is what a self-focused Church looks like. The Christian life is a sacrificial life, one lived inside of and through Jesus Christ. A popular WWII movie was called 'God Is My Co-Pilot', and if that expression is true of your Christian life, you can expect a crash coming up. Where does self-pity come from? From taking your eyes off of Jesus Christ, and putting them on you and your problems. Paul said that he gloried in his weaknesses and infirmities. Do you? The reason why Paul didn't have a lot of self-pity was because he reckoned himself to be 'dead in Christ', and a dead man doesn't feel sorry for themselves. Self-pity is usually birthed through feeling you didn't get something you felt you deserved, and it in turn gives birth to jealousy and hatred. I have personally known Christians who were expecting the Rapture to be on such-and such a day or time that, when it didn't happen, they got so discouraged they walked away from the ministry. What was their focus on? Themselves and not the Lord. Self-pity in any form can make you bitter and depressed, rendering you ineffective for the kingdom of God. Today I bring you a message on the surprising sin of self-pity.
