Party Crasher

I was right in the middle of throwing myself a huge pity party yesterday over some rough stuff I've been through recently. I had hung proverbial pinatas and streamers in my pit, as Beth Moore would say.

I went downtown to a Sunday afternoon church service- I knew the Lord was tugging on my heart to go and after trying to convince myself not to ("too tired", "already have plans", "it's been so long since I last went"- we can be our own worst enemies, no?) I went...

...and someone crashed my pity party.

The woman speaking talked about how sometimes we get so wrapped up in ourselves and our problems that we come to the Lord with gloom and doom and trouble constantly. And its MORE thank ok to be honest with the Lord.. He WANTS that (Job!). 

But the Bible also says this:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. -Psalm 100:4

I so needed that reminder that focusing on myself and my problems is almost always a surefire way to warp my view of my circumstances, my God and my relationship with Him.  But when we focus on Jesus and what He's done the pity parties get cut short, and another invitation is extended- the invitation to enter into His courts and worship the one who made everything, and loves us more than any of it.

Hallelujah!