Looking Honestly at Self-Pity and Despair

Jeremiah 15:10-21

When Judah was deserving judgment and punishment for their idolatry and rejection of God’s word, Jeremiah received an incredible call to serve Almighty God as his spokesman. The Lord called Jeremiah by saying, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak… Behold, I have put my words in your mouth” (Jer.1:7, 9). Unexpectedly, God warned this prophet that the people would fight against him, but do not worry, fear, or stop because I am with you (1:19). Jeremiah experienced total discouragement. The continuous mental and emotional attacks on Jeremiah caused him to express self-pity and despair.

Similarly, in the time of God’s assurances, we also can become discouraged and fall into the trap of a self-made pity party. In times like these, we need to see how God assisted Jeremiah to continue in his work as God’s prophet. What steps should we take to experience victory in our thinking?

Steps to experience victory:

1. Wrestling with reality – Jeremiah 15:1-4; 11:14-17; 20:1-3
2. Responding from weakness – 15:10, 15-18

• Winning from strength – 15:19-21; 1:18-19; 20:9-13

Steps to daily practice:

1. The steps to victory comes with a greater awareness of and dependence on Christ – Luke 22:31-34
2. The steps to confidence happens when you decrease and Christ increases – John 3:30