Do you have a hard time asking for help? Do you feel like a burden needing something from someone?
In our self-help, do-it-yourself, culture, it can be extremely difficult to ask for help. We are trained to believe that asking for help means we are weak or not good enough on our own. It can undermine our confidence, make us question our abilities, and even immobilize us with fear and anxiety.
There is a level of vulnerability when we need help. Asking for help means someone might see our messiness. And so sometimes we would rather suffer in silence than reveal our inner weakness and failures.
Plus we tend to rely on our strengths to survive and succeed. When you do it yourself, you can pat yourself on the back for your self-sufficiency and say “look I didn’t need anyone else to accomplish or overcome this.”
But we weren’t meant to do life alone. God wired us to connect with others and live in community for a reason. He wants us to work together and help ease the burdens of one another. Learning how to ask for help is an amazing and beneficial skill that you can develop.
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What Does the Bible Say About Asking for Help
We need help because we were created with limits and can’t do it all. God’s power is made perfect in our admission of weakness and need for help (2 Corinthians 12:9).
The God of all things cares about our needs. He makes us needy so we might find his faithfulness. God provides for all our daily needs. Our help ultimately comes from the Lord – maker of heaven and earth.
In the Bible, we see a few people humble themselves and cry out for help.
Adam
From the beginning, God knew man needed help. He had provided all of Adam’s need for food, water and even his breath but he knew Adam needed a companion.
It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18).
God created a way for man to give and receive help. This means it’s not something that should be shameful. God built us for need and began fulfilling it right away.
David
The Psalms are full of praises and cries for help. Like David, when we acknowledge inability to save ourselves, and cry out, God listens to us. He delivers us and offers healing from our afflictions.
David also had hope by recounting all the acts of faithfulness in the past. It reminded him that it was okay to ask for help because God had always met his needs.
Paul
Paul was not humiliated by his weakness or need. In fact, he took pleasure in knowing that in our weakness God’s grace is made perfect. He would regularly ask for prayer and support in his letters.
He also asked God for help in carrying forward the mission. He knew he needed to depend on God and his ability to help him overcome whatever circumstance he was facing.
Jesus
Even Jesus asked God for help. He deeply and intimately knew God’s sovereignty. He cried out to His Father on behalf of others and on behalf of himself. Even on the cross he asked God to take this burden away from him.
3 Reasons Asking for Help Glorifies God
As you have seen above, it takes courage and strength to ask for help. You need to give yourself permission to let go of any fears or anxieties and embrace support from your community. With regular help, you will be able to live a life that brings glory to the kingdom.
It honors God
When we ask God, it is a humble acknowledgement that we are needy and He is a good Father who will provide for us. God will never shame us or make us feel guilty about asking for help. It is a joy for God to help us. It is an opportunity to honor God.
Like I said above, God designed us to ask for help. He wants us to acknowledge our need and not hide from it. We are free to seek out help and even encouraged to do so.
It allows others to use their strengths
God also created us for community. He knew that we needed a support system to help ease our burdens.
Asking for help does not put a burden on others. It gives others the opportunity to show the love of Christ. God gave us each unique strengths so that we can serve and build up others.
For instance, my husband can always open a jar, so in my weakness he is showing his strength and love. Or whenever there is a new birth at my church, we all rally to provide meals for the parents to give them space to enjoy the new blessing in their life.
You can help others
Isn’t it crazy that we can be so quick to jump into help others but we refuse to ask for help from others? We never feel like it is a burden because it is an act of love.
We have the amazing opportunity to help others and pour blessings into their lives. Sometimes our greatest burdens are a blessing to others because we can share our experiences and help each other.
Prayer for Asking for Help
We need God to do for us what we cannot do ourselves. Prayer is a great way to seek his wisdom and ask for help. You can even keep a prayer journal to reflect back on the times God remained faithful in your life.
“Lord, I humbly admit that I am in need of help. I repent of the times I try to do things all on my own out of stubbornness and pride. Give me the wisdom to know when I need to ask for help and the humility to accept it when it is offered. Also help me seek out ways to bless and show your love for others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
