Do You Have Ingrown Eyeballs?
Bitterness, Blog, Do You Have Ingrown Eyeballs?, Erik Garthe, Faith, No Longer Conformed, Self-Pity, Trust
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Do you suffer from “ingrownius eyeballitus”? Chuck Swindall says that it is an eye problem that strikes all of us at one time or another. More commonly known as ingrown eyeballs, this malady is a true enemy of our souls.
It causes us to start looking inward instead of outward and upward. Satan uses this sickness to get us out of the work of the Lord. He whispers into our ears how we are unappreciated and mistreated. He reminds us of how important we are yet overlooked; how gifted yet ignored; how capable yet unrecognized; how valuable yet unrewarded—and so on and so on. The devil seeks those who “have been forgotten” and whispers in their ears, “How terrible! No one cares about you, not really. Even God seems far away.” Actually, ingrown eyeballs is really nothing more than self-pity. The damage self-pity can do is beyond imagination. If nursed while an infant, you will have a monster living within you. This beast will spread the poison of bitterness and paranoia throughout your being. Your smile will be replaced with a frown. Your understanding will be overtaken by criticism. Your focus on yourself will sprout a garden of suspicion and resentment. The sea of self-pity is inhabited by creatures such as: doubt, despair, and a desire to die. Remember Elijah the prophet? He suffered from ingrown eyeballs. It was right after a spiritual mountaintop experience. Look to 1 Kings 19 for the record. He had just finished taking care of Ahab and his Baal-worshippers, and now Jezebel was planning Elijah’s death. So, the prophet ran (90 miles away) and gave birth to self-pity. “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” (1 Kings 19:10) Now that’s textbook self-pity. The only remedy is a visit with the Great Physician.
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
