“No wonder we become unhappy, when we focus on our personal preferences, opinions, and comforts.” (Source unknown)
The apostle Paul is clear, “Love is not self-seeking” or “love seeketh not its own” (1 Cor 13.5, NIV, KJV). He wrote of Christ; “For even Christ did not please Himself” (Rom 15.3).
In the West, our cultural environment is extremely self-centred’ self-interest, self-enjoyment, self-care, self-loathing. Entertainment and holidays and more are all marketed for personal enjoyment. This environment is pervasive and affects (infects?) our thinking and our praying.
The way of Christ is that we look out for the needs and concerns for others before ourselves. This seems too obvious to be stated, yet we constantly need to be reminded. Often in times of challenge we tend to focus on our own situation.