Pull the Plug on Self-Pity

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

When we need to deal with change, self-pity keeps us focused on the difficult or challenging aspects of it. That’s exactly where the enemy wants our focus to stay. But the good news is, we can just as easily shift our focus to the positive things that change brings to our lives. So today, I am encouraging you to replace self-pity with an attitude of gratitude.

One of the best attitudes we can have is one of thankfulness, while one of the worst is self-pity. God does so much for us that we should never stop thanking Him. We all have many reasons to be thankful, and we should remember them. We must have a thankful heart to enter the presence of God (Psalm 100:4). We are to present our petitions to Him with a thankful heart (Philippians 4:6).

Being thankful is powerful, and it does wonderful things for us! It makes us happy to be thankful, people enjoy being around us, it puts a smile on God’s face, it is a key to answered prayer, and it is God’s will (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

No matter how many problems you may have, they don’t outweigh your blessings. Remember this when you are tempted to feel sorry for yourself. If you don’t see your blessings, it is because you are not looking for them. (The dark glasses of pity are clouding your view.)

I am eternally grateful that God has delivered me from the foolishness of self-pity. It never makes a situation better; it only makes us feel worse. If you have been feeling sorry for yourself, spend some time today asking God for His forgiveness. Then make a firm decision to work with the Holy Spirit to replace any lingering feelings of self-pity with the positive power of thanksgiving.

Adapted from the book The Courage to Change by Joyce Meyer. Copyright 2025 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Let’s Pray: “God, I know that having a positive attitude will make life’s changes much easier to manage. So, help me stay alert to what I am thinking about. Help me focus my attention on You and all the good things You are doing in my life. Self-pity is a waste of my time. Help me to spend my time thinking in agreement with Your Word, showing myself to be thankful in every circumstance. In Jesus’ name, amen.”