Choosing Power Over Pity
Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 26 August 2025
“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.””
Self-pity drains our energy and blinds us to the blessings still around us. It keeps us looking inward at our pain instead of upward to our God. But when we choose God’s joy, we tap into a strength that self-pity can never give.
Nehemiah reminds us that joy, not perfect circumstances, is our strength. That means even in trials, we can stand strong because our hope is rooted in God’s character, not in life going our way.
I’ve seen believers walk through incredible hardship with a smile that confuses the world. It’s not that they’re pretending. It’s that they’ve made a decision to live in God’s joy, and that joy has become their strength.
We can be pitiful or powerful, but not both. Power comes when we trust that God is bigger than the problem, greater than the pain, and faithful to keep His promises.
Today, choose power over pity. Lean into His joy and let it fuel your faith.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord, I choose Your joy over self-pity. Give me the strength to rise above my feelings and trust You in every situation. Fill me with Your peace and hope today. Amen.