Look Up From the Pit

Sometimes we welcome great pity upon ourselves. Self-pity.

Today you may be staring at a towering plate of struggles, challenges, and heartbreak. Overwhelmed and paralyzed, the enemy pokes at your loneliness, whispering the lies that you are unloved, unworthy, and will fail. But stand firm in the hand of Almighty God, and reject sliding into the pit of self-pity (Isaiah 41:10).

Pitying ourselves differs from acknowledging weakness and in need of the Holy Spirit. The one who pities himself instinctively turns inward, to sit with himself, and lament over his wounds. It can be dangerous to make self-pity your companion. Why?

► Temptation to sin. Buried under a heap of pity, we wander into a vulnerable place of being tempted and falling into sin, to seek immediate comfort in the pleasures of the flesh, by being open to the lies of the enemy.

► We become unknowingly selfish. As we become laser-focused on ourselves, we are blinded to caring for anyone outside of our problems and circumstances. This chains us to our pit of self-pity.

Was this not the plan of the enemy when Jesus fasted in the wilderness? The enemy pursued Jesus in His time of human weakness, attempting to persuade Him to turn inward, to pridefully take control in Himself and satisfy His fleshly needs. To give in would have left us eternally separated from Him. 

Oh, but victory came! Jesus knew who He was as the Son of God and the Word (John 1:1-5), and He used the Word of God to combat the enemy. Oh, how wonderful to have a Savior who showed us we can do just as He did and have victory too (Matthew 4:1-11)! He used no special powers that we don’t have access to, but only the Holy Spirit as we have today (Romans 8:11).

The book of Isaiah described Jesus as “a man of sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3), however He didn’t for a moment feel sorry for or pity Himself while He walked this earth. He kept His eyes on the Father. He knew His time on earth would be brief, for He knew He didn’t come for any other reason but to do the Father’s will and fulfill the plan of salvation for us. 

Consider Job, though a man of temporary misfortune, could have turned inward towards the voices surrounding him (his three friends). Instead, he rejected those voices and looked upward to the Lord. 

We will never get out of our self-pity when we stay turned inward. We need to turn outward to the cross, and allow the Lord to rescue us (Psalm 121:1-8).

Four Strategies for Overcoming Self-Pity:

1. Keep your eyes on Christ. For just as Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15), we should only focus on who the eternal and everlasting Lord says we are to Him. God’s Word promises that we are His precious workmanship- sons and daughters who are heirs to the riches of Christ’s glory. (Ephesians 2:10, Romans 8:16-17, Galations 4:5-7)

2. Thank the Lord for the blessings He has given you. Is there breath in your lungs? A beating heart? Clean water to drink? The ability for you to get out of bed today? Can you see with your eyes and hear with your ears God’s glorious creation? There’s much to thank Almighty God for every day. (Psalm 136:1)

3. Repent of any bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness you may have towards someone. If uncertain, pray that the Holy Spirit reveal this to you. Then pray for that person.

4. Pray for others (Job 42:10-12, John 17:9-26). This is not your “get out of jail card.” Sincerely pray for others, with love and compassion, with a heart like that of Jesus. The Lord then says, “Stand and dust yourself off. Be broken bread and a poured-out wine offering for others. Be my surrendered servant so I can work through you.”

And if you feel this is for you right now, you can pray:

Lord Jesus, I come to you today in a posture of humbleness and absolute surrender to you. I’ve been overwhelmed by the pains the world has been heaping upon me, and it’s crushing. I feel desperate. I don’t want to feel pity for myself. Please, Lord, help me. Search my heart for any unforgiveness I may be carrying. Show me who I need to forgive. I pray Father God that you will break my heart for the things that break yours. I yearn to be more compassionate and loving, because you are compassionate and loving towards us all. Lift me high. Lay your cloak of peace upon my shoulders. I pray that you impart your supernatural wisdom and discernment upon me this day. I pray all these things in your almighty name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

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Health

Water for Health: What You Need to Know

Many people stay in a state of mild dehydration, drinking only when they’re thirsty. Because of our environment of pollution, electronics, food, chemicals, work schedules and lifestyle demands, our bodies are more stressed than ever, and we need water. Meanwhile, about a gallon of water leaves our bodies throughout the day through our skin and urination, so we need to replenish it.

Did you know when we are dehydrated, water leaves our cells, and goes to help other functions, mainly putting more work on the kidneys to rid toxins from the body? The kidneys should not be overworked unnecessarily, if we would just stay hydrated.

When the body doesn’t get enough water, it’s like operating our car without oil. Or, perhaps you have seen a plant that hasn’t been watered in awhile. The branches droop. The leaves start to curl, turning brown. That’s not too different than how we are without enough water- we “droop” from the inside out. As a visible sign, consider the skin on your face. The skin of the face needs to stay plumped with a steady and adequate amount of water.  

What Happens When We Don’t Drink Enough Water 

• Skin thins, loses elasticity

• Low energy and motivation

• Organs shrink

• Constipation and other digestion issues

• Reduced blood flow, causing headaches

• Mixed hunger cues, causing overeating

• Mood instability and depression

• Stresses kidneys, potentially causing damage

• Toxin buildup

• Death after a few days, without any water

Mood

Depression is linked to dehydration because 85% of brain tissue is water. Dehydration causes energy production in the brain to decrease. However, like in many other medical areas, contaminated water can also cause health problems. It is known that lead in water can cause damage to nervous systems, with depression being one of the most common results of lead-filled water.

Overeating

Drinking water boosts the number of calories you burn during the day—your body has to work in order to process it. In a study by The Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism, drinking just 16 ounces of water spiked participants’ metabolisms by 30 percent. The researchers found that increasing water intake by around six eight-ounce glasses of water per day could increase calories burned by around 200.

What Should We Do?

First, determine how much water to drink, as a minimum. 

To determine how much water to drink daily, you should be drinking a half ounce to ounce of water for each pound of body weight (i.e.- 142lbs would require 71 ounces at a minimum, though drinking the amount of water in ounces closer to your body weight is ideal). Physical activity, heat, where you live in regards to climate, and other factors may require more water. 

Industry experts recommend 2 cups (16 oz.) of water as a very first when waking. In addition, adding lemon juice to warm water can help stimulate the digestion system.

Second, as you need water throughout the day…

Check your urine throughout the day. It should be a light color. If it’s darker, your body is needing more water. If you’re craving salty foods, this may be a sign that you’re dehydrated. 

Get quality water

Get a multi-stage water filter that filters out chlorine, fluoride, lead, and other metals and contanamemts, but keeps the beneficial minerals. Tap water and well water and bottled water are suspect for contamination. There are several options, from under sink units to counter top pitchers. Most recommend a filter change every six months.

Get a shower filter that filters out chlorine and other contaminants. When you shower or bathe, your skin absorbs water, not too different than if you were to drink tap water. Your skin absorbs more water than what you would drink. Your skin will be softer, and you can see a difference in your hair. 

Buying bottled water is expensive, and most of it isn’t any healthier than tap water. If you’re traveling and need to buy bottled water, it would be the better choice than going to a tap or where you aren’t familiar with the water source.

💧 Invest in a good quality filtered water bottle that filters out contaminants like lead, arsenic, chlorine, PFOS, PFAS, and microplastics. You can find them at this link and get 20% off when you use coupon code: myholynutrition

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_{†All health information in the articles is exclusively gathered from clinical/medical resources that have been industry vetted, with no conflict of interest in the information they present/publish.} 

_{*Holy Nutrition does not diagnose, treat, or give medical advice. Information provided is not medical advice and should not be relied upon for diagnosis or treatment. Consult with a healthcare provider or medical practitioner for any health concerns, questions, or before making any decisions related to your health. Individual health conditions and needs may vary, and therefore, professional medical advice is essential for personalized guidance. Holy Nutrition is not responsible for any harm or damage resulting from the user's reliance on the information contained in the articles.}