Does God Help Those Who Help Themselves?
Does God really help those who help themselves?
This famous quote is certainly motivational and can be well-meaning. To succeed in any aspect of life we must do the work. If you’ve lived beyond high school, you know that “the world” ain’t gonna help you much, so you’d better be able to figure it out on your own.
One highly influential person in my life said this quote to me often as I grew up. This person loves me and was only trying to teach me how to take care of myself. At the time, this teaching strategy typically made me frustrated and angry because I needed help and usually didn’t get it. However, it was a successful strategy, because I learned to figure stuff out. In fact, I am an overachiever in self-sufficiency. I am highly resourceful and am a great problem solver. In college, many of my friends would jokingly call me “mom” because I typically took care of things and got stuff done. I even turned my skills into a career. I take pride in being self-sufficient, it’s my superpower. It has served me pretty well. Sure, I’ve made mistakes and been knocked down, but I pull myself up by my bootstraps and keep going. I’m not gigantically successful or wealthy. Nevertheless, my life has been good, filled with many blessings.
The past few years have been interesting, to say the least, and God has been really stretching me for a while now. He desires that I fully trust Him – in everything – even my heart-of-hearts things. He wants me to let His will rule, not my own. He wants to grow and solidify my faith. After walking with Him for 30 years, it’s time that 2 Timothy 1:12 is finally part of my DNA. Since I am personally acquainted with Him, it’s time that I believe in Him with absolute trust and confidence, knowing the truth of His deity, so that I am persuaded, beyond any doubt, that He is able to guard what I’ve entrusted to Him (my heart & soul, my all) until that day when I stand before Him. Either I believe Him or I don’t. God’s Word, is jammed packed with restful, encouraging words and commands to trust Him; to lean on Him and not our own understanding; believe in Him and He’ll direct our paths; He works all things for good; His plans are for us are to prosper, to give us a future and a hope. Wait on Him. Waiting is essential. (Proverbs 3:5-6, Zechariah 4:6, Matthew 6:33, most of Psalms & Proverbs, just to name a few)
The other day, while I was prayer journaling, God revealed to me that my self-sufficiency throws a wrench into all of the above! WHAT? Surely, not, Lord! But the reality is, my self-sufficient superpower, comes with a few not-so-great side effects. It’s extremely difficult to ask for help. I have a rock-solid stubborn streak and a strong will. Time and time again, I take matters into my own hands. I wrestle with Him constantly because I might not understand, or His way doesn’t seem logical, or His way means I have to wait. More often than not, I charge through leaving God in the dust. It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, right? Especially when I’m not getting my way. The struggle is real…
I have suffered many consequences and heartache from those side effects. My self-sufficiency seriously cripples my faith. It has blocked His ability to do exceedingly abundantly more than I could ever ask or think, in my life. (Eph 3:20-21) What have I missed? Could my life be spectacular instead of just good? Could I have been actually living that “abundant life in Christ” I hear preached over and over? The answer is – Yes, probably so.
Every good and perfect gift comes from Him, and if I can self-sufficiently provide myself with good things – how much more would God give me if I would just let Him? He is the creator of the universe, I think He is more than capable of doing better for me than I do. I’m not bad, but He is infinitely better in every way!!
It’s time to let go of my superpower and stop “helping myself.” It’s time to trust in, rest in, wait on, and believe in my Heavenly Father, who loves and cares for me in ways that no words can express.
Maybe I should work on making waiting my superpower. (insert eye roll here.)
Photo by Todd Diemer on Unsplash
