The Sin of Self-Pity

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul explained one purpose of the Law of Moses in Romans 3:19-20:  "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."  While all sin is contrary to God and His righteous ways, it is completely natural for all those born into it.  The Law gave commands and prohibitions that guided the conduct of people, yet laws written on tablets of stone could not govern or transform hearts.  Thankfully God who knows the heart has given Christians the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin the Law never explicity mentioned.

During my recent study in the book of Jeremiah, it occurred to me how self-pity is a sin I have not always recognised in myself or others.  Self is at the centre of countless sins, whether it be selfishness, pride, self-confidence, of self-justification.  As I considered examples of self-pity in scripture, many examples came to mind in the lives of people who were proud, unrepentant, justified themselves and blamed God.  For instance, after God confronted Cain for killing his brother Abel, he denied any responsibility.  He would not admit he was guilty of murder when Abel's shed blood cried out to the LORD from the ground.  Rather than being sorry for his murderous rampage, Cain complained about sin's consequences and whinged, "My punishment is more than I can bear!"  Self-pity moved Cain to play the victim when he was an unrepentant murderer with the blood of his righteous brother on his hands.

This morning I read of another case of self-pity after Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh who responded to God's message with humble repentance.  God saw their works, how they turned from their wicked ways and threw themselves upon God's mercy, so He did not destroy them.  This displeased and infuriated Jonah.  Jonah 4:2-3 says, "So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. ³ Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!"  Rather than rejoicing in God's mercy shown him by sending a great fish to swallow him or God's gracious deliverance of the great multitude of those living in Nineveh, Jonah wished to die.  He justified his previous rebellion and disobedience because God is God--gracious, merciful, slow to anger, loving and relents from doing harm.  He angrilly preferred death to spite God (who gave Him life) rather than seeing the Ninevites live.

When we wallow in self-pity and feel all is lost, we cease to take into account God's love, goodness and promises towards us.  Self-pity blames God, others, or justifies ourselves rather than humbling ourselves before God in praise and thanksgiving for how good He is.  Self-pity is a way pride reacts to suffering; it can be a sinful, unrepentant response to our own sin!  Cain didn't need to be a vagabond and under the curse of death, for he could have confessed his sin, repented and been restored by God.  Esau shed many tears after missing out on Isaac's blessing, but his tears were all for himself and not for his foolishness before God and his dad in repentance.  Judas responded to gnawing conviction over betraying Jesus by hanging himself rather than humbling himself.  Self-pity is rooted in pride, and it is a dangerous and deadly sin that often escapes our notice.  Praise God He provides wisdom and conviction to avoid the snare of self-pity that uses our own suffering as bait.