Praise Instead of Pity – Psalms 30+31

As counselors, the most difficult people pastors have to work with are those mired in self-pity. The rebels don't last long because they don't want to be helped. Those who do truly want help and respond positively reap the benefits of doing so. But the person mired in self-pity is stuck. Week after week, they bring the same baggage to counseling and nothing ever changes. It's exhausting and discouraging to the counselor and counseled alike.

We are all subject to periods of self-pity. The danger is getting stuck in it. How do we avoid it? By making the conscious decision to praise God and trust him. Praise is so important to the daily Christian walk because it establishes a proper mindset. Trust is essential for the obvious reason that we need God every step of the way. We are just that weak. So let's dig in and see this all play out in psalms 30+31.