I don’t pray for God’s help anymore…
Why?
Because I don’t need His help and neither do you….
Doubt me?
Consider the following…
I stood in the hospital corridor…
They wheeled my wife past me, on her way to an unexpected surgery.
We had only been married a few months. She looked so pale, so vulnerable. I was afraid.
I prayed with all my might, “God, help us!”
The surgery went well. “Thank you, God!”
Another state, another hospital, another year…
I watched as my daughter was born…
I prayed with all my might, “God, help us”.
She took her first breath. “Thank you, God.”
Late that night, I got a call. My wife’s voice was on the other end of the phone. It sounded very far away, very small, very shaky and very afraid…
“Something’s wrong. They’re taking me to surgery.”
I prayed all the way to the hospital…
I prayed with all my might, “God, help us!”
The surgery was successful. “Thank you, God!”
Two days later as my wife and baby got in the car for the ride home, I realized that my whole earthly life was in that car.
I prayed for God’s help again…
This time I prayed that He wouldn’t let me be such a stupid driver that I got in an accident on the way home.
Amazingly, we got there safely.
“Thank you, God.”
I prayed for God’s help in every one of those situations, but I don’t pray for His help any more….
Why?
Through those prayers, God taught me that it is not his “help” I need….
Asking for His help makes it sound as if I am almost strong enough to handle life on my own…
If only he would offer a little “help”…
But I am not strong…
It is not God’s help I need…
It is God himself. All of Him. Offered through His amazing gift of grace.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
8 thoughts on “Don’t Pray for God’s Help! You Don’t Need It!”
That’s good! He has given us everything we will ever need. Sometimes we forget who we are and what we have as His children. It is like child asking Dad for some change to buy a meal and the child really doesn’t understand that they have already (even before they asked) access to all His fathers treasures. We have access to all that right now.
You’re right. He’s given us everything we need. And besides, asking for His help implies that we could probably get the job done ourselves, but a little help from Him would be nice. Not true! We are totally in His hands. Thanks for your comment.
Amen, yes — we need all of who He is. I also think of Ps. 46:1 — “God is our refuge and strength…a very present help in trouble.” I think you have touched on a need here — His help is part of who is but as you seem to echo we need God — His grace, and as the psalmist said, “our refuge and strength.” And maybe, we should be thanking Him for his help and presence in the midst of the situation. Thank you for writing this!!
Thanks for your comment. He is “Our refuge and help indeed!
Thanks for sharing. You hit the nail on the head. In the Lord’s prayer there is nothing about asking Him for help. It is all about His commands and the guidance that comes from following them and all effective prayers follow the same path.
“Help” implies that I can almost do it on my own. But of course I can’t. Without His grace I am nothing and can do nothing. So I need more than a little help. I need Him. All of Him. Every moment. Every day. Maybe that’s “Help” with a capital “H”. Thanks for the comment!
Powerful Bob. Just powerful. When he takes over a situation, we get more than help. We get peace, clarity, and an everlasting understanding. I’ll take that over Help anyday
Me, too, David! I don’t know how to get along with anything less than All of Him. (If only I could remember to live my life that way every day!)