Tag: self-pity

Final Curtain Call

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. James 4:14

Ever think about how life is not a rehearsal?

Only get one shot at all of it.

Every milestone.

Every age.

Every day.

Today, for example, you have only these minutes to spend once.

The ones you are spending reading this blog are used wisely.

Good job!

But what’s next?

Yes, life is spent with many mundane things, such as laundry, shopping, and caring for others.

But even the mundane can be exciting when thinking how temporary it all is.

Thinking about your emotions, do you want to spend your only today racked with guilt?

Will you spend your only today filled with self-pity, un-forgiveness, or fear?

You only get today once.

Don’t give it to the devil.

Today, you have a chance to spend your minutes praising God.

Today, you have a chance to spend your minutes praying to the One who created you.

You get the chance to care for those God has entrusted to you or relax with well-deserved rest.

Don’t allow yourself to squelch these precious minutes you can only spend one time.

Don’t give these minutes to the devil by dwelling outside of God’s peace.

Or living only for yourself.

Why? Because minutes turn into days, which turn into years.

Before you know it, you’ll be a decade older and not at all wiser.

Your family might become distant and you’ll find yourself alone.

Bitterness and self-righteousness are not good companions.

So choose to spend your once in a lifetime minutes as God ordained.

Ask God how He would like you to live.

Ask God who He would like you to love.

Ask God who He would like you to influence for His kingdom.

And spend those precious minutes for Him.

Because every minute is only spent once in our final curtain call called life.

Photos by Steve Sharp, Jon Tyson, Gwen King, &  Tony Lomas on Unsplash

Your Reflection

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

How well do you reflect Jesus?

Does your face reflect His love?

Do your actions replicate His compassion?

Do your words reflect His leadership, wisdom, and grace?

This morning as I looked out my large back window, I noticed something.

Overlooking a large space, I can see for over a mile.

On the horizon was a brilliant burst of sunlight.

Blinding almost.

It was twinkling, extending its rays like when you look at the sun.

But it was tiny as it was far away.

My first thought was, “Oh, the sun is peeking up.”

But immediately I dismissed that thought because the sun rises on the other side of my house!

Then I realized what I was looking at.

A reflection.

A brilliant reflection of the sun.

The sun was hitting this spot just perfectly, lighting it up as if it were the sun.

Which made me wonder about us.

How brilliantly do we reflect Jesus?

When we are selfish, we don’t shine.

When we surround ourselves with misery, we don’t shine.

Walking with self-pity, we certainly don’t shine either.

And when we cling to fear, rejection, and despair, we are pretty dull as well.

Purpose again to praise God especially when walking life’s troubled road.

Trust God when you cannot see the road or even when you can.

Let your light shine so others may see Jesus.

Reflect Him so well, others cannot help but bow their knee to the One who created all things.

Photos by Ivana Cajina, Jonathan Borba, Josh Boot, & Oscar Ivan Esquivel Arteaga on Unsplash

Watching You

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

I’ve watched him for years.

Actually since birth.

I’ve seen him grow into the young man he is today.

Witnessing his disappointments, I’ve gotten to know his weak spots.

Areas I can press him into walking towards sin.

It’s almost too easy, tempting him.

Take yesterday as an example. Years ago, I assigned self-pity to follow him.

It’s one of my usual tactics as getting people to think only of themselves delivers every single time.

Affects other areas of their lives as well, a bonus for sure.

Getting back to my example, I led him to believe he was the only one not invited to the party.

Began to feed him lies that his friends weren’t really friends, merely tolerating instead his existence.

Reminded him this was proof he actually stood on the outside of the group, instead of the inside.

Self-pity waltzed right in, confirming the lies and bringing up things from the past.

Before long, he was slumped onto the couch, convinced something was very wrong with him.

Took it out on his unsuspecting mother, who had just come home from the store.

His outburst placed a wedge in that relationship, perfectly executing my next step.

People are predictable.

I know how to tempt them for maximum effectiveness.

Why? Because I’m invited. Always around.

I’m invited through selfishness, lies, and the evils of this world.

And believe me, it’s everywhere. I’m everywhere. Me and my followers.

This young man is from a Christian house. Believed the Bible from a young age.

Thankfully, he’s strayed. No longer reads it, shutting out even the sermon in church.

Got him to stop singing there, too, as I told him it’s embarrassing. He believed me!

I have him right where I want him. Only have to worry about his mother.

She’s the one who keeps bringing God into the house through her prayers.

Sometimes I have to leave because the angels are guarding his door.

But other times, his door is open because he invites me in.

The young man happens to like self-pity, living for himself. It’s fabulous.

What door do you keep open? What activities, thoughts, or actions invite me into your life?

Keep your door open. Makes it easier for me and my followers to tempt you.

We can’t wait. In fact, we’re prowling right outside the door. Can we devour you and your family? Our appetite never ends.

Photos by Ingo Stiller, Arnaud Papa, Ihor Malytskyi, chrissie kremer, & Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Gardens

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

I’m so excited. We have a garden!

Ever plant one?

I’ve always loved planting flowers, but I’m talking food.

Growing your own food. Like actually growing literal food.

We grew some tomatoes and jalapeño peppers last year.

While that was fun, this year’s garden is even funner. 😉

We have acorn squash trying to spread their vines over everything else.

Carrot seeds looking lovely, their soft green tops reaching high above the soil.

Watermelon, pumpkins, cucumbers, herbs, and a whole box of flower seeds!

Tomato plants sprouting up from throwing old tomatoes into the garden soil last fall.

We won’t discuss our sad strawberry plants, yielding a total of 3 strawberries so far.

You get the point. We have 96 square feet of growing goodness. I can’t wait.

How’s your garden? Need to yank some weeds? Redirect your plans back to God?

We all have seeds cast our direction, that with the right ingredients, can take root.

Believing a lie, confirming it with situations, watering it with self-pity. That root would be hard to yank.

Yet, immediately refusing a lie planted in your head, would remove it instantly.

Fertilizing your garden with God’s truth and wisdom would then create a garden where sin’s seeds fail to take root. Or would at least take more effort.

Is your garden full of God’s truth? Are you able to yank these weeds easily?

Gardens like that regularly see fruit. Sometimes there’s a drought, but it’s not because the soil is ugly.

Or is your garden soil so full of weeds, truth can hardly begin to grow?

Squash and cucumber vines love to grasp anything they can, clinging to the next plant in their path.

We must be diligent to shape the vines, freeing the plants they wish to cling.

Like those vines, we must be careful to keep our garden free from not only weeds, but things in our life that want to choke out everything else. Even the good things.

Time to put on your gardening gloves, tie that sun hat around your neck, and dig into the dirt.

Gardens only flourish with purpose. And your garden, hidden within your heart, will only flourish with God.

Photos by Kelly Neil, Kenan Kitchen, Bonnie Kittle, Markus Spiske, & Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash

Canceling The Devil

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

Ever think about this: the devil knows he’s lost.

He’s going to do everything he possibly can to take you down with him.

Doesn’t care if you’re a Christian.

If the devil can keep you down and depressed, full of fear or self-pity, you’ll infect those around you for him.

For the devil.

Living for yourself, you place a tally on the devil’s side. Score one for him!

Is it worth it?

Are those justified feelings of anger, self-pity, or revenge worth letting the devil have a point?

Nope.

Helps to look at sin from a different perspective.

Never want to let the devil win at anything in my life.

Unfortunately, I let him win daily when I think of myself before others and pride steps in, begging to put self first.

I know it’s unrealistic to think we can always be our best for God.

But if we ask God to help us each moment of every day, we’ll have a winning shot.

And when we ask God’s forgiveness when we mess up, the devil’s point evaporates. Poof!

Purpose your mind on Christ. Give Him yourself again today.

As God helps you, you’ll provide less and less chances for the devil to play the game.

Devil, you’re canceled.

Photos by Michael Dziedzic, Brina Blum, & Masaaki Komori on Unsplash

Clinging to the Old

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Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are becoming new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Are you?

Clinging to the old?

The old meaning your self without God.

Your sinful self.

The self that feels better some of the time.

1 Corinthians 5:17 suggests, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away.”

When we become a Christian, declaring our faith in God, we become new.

Our mind, body, soul, and spirit become new in the eyes of God.

Because with God covering us, we are without spot or blemish.

Old things pass away, meaning our sins are forgiven.

But my question is this: what old ways are you still holding onto?

What comfortable sinful actions do you insist on instead of how God wants you to act?

Just because the old has passed away doesn’t mean you can’t ask for it back.

Picture a closet.

You declare your faith in God.

God replaces all your clothes with new garments.

They are perfect.

Not always comfy, but made by God just for you.

You wake up, deciding what to wear.

Since you are still irked by yesterday, the shiny new clothes almost blind you.

You instantly wish, audibly, for that ratty sweatshirt.

You blink, and see it crumpled back on your floor.

Do you wear it?

Up to you.

Your old sinful nature is wiped clean with Christ’s forgiveness.

But your old ways can and will still creep up, tempting you to wear them.

You must keep your faith in God, asking Him what to wear each day, each moment.

Should I wear faith or fear?

Anxiety or peace?

Self-pity or grace?

Fear, anxiety, and self-pity are a whole lot more comfy at times, yes?

But they make you ugly.

Ask the One who set you free to keep setting you free each and every day.

And each day you choose God and His ways, it will become easier and easier to reject your old ways.

And pretty soon, that ratty sweatshirt in the corner will disappear.

But only if you decide you want it no longer.

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Photos by Jozsef Hocza, Zui Hoang, Martino Pietropoli, Patryk Sobczak, Tommaso Pecchioli, & Christian Fregnan on Unsplash