“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
It’s ok if I can’t do it all by myself.
How are you with asking for help? We all have times when we get overwhelmed, whether it’s with work, with a financial need, with a personal problem, or a health situation. We all find ourselves in situations where we just can’t do it alone. But how are you with turning to others for that help? For a shoulder to cry on, someone to vent to, some one to advise. Or bigger asks… like a ride to an important appointment, a babysitter for a few hours, or money to help cover an expense. How are you with allowing for assistance?
I had a conversation with a friend who told me that someone gave her money once for no particular reason, and she gave it right back. The person who gifted her told her about herself and I did the same thing. Why did you do that, I asked her. And she said, because I hadn’t done anything to deserve it and it felt like I was going to owe them. Is that how you feel? Like accepting assistance comes with strings attached? Are you missing out on opportunities to be great because you’ve created conditions without consent? As a people we tend to have some version of this mentality. That we don’t want to been seen as weak or needy when we accept or ask for help, or that we’re going to “owe” people and we don’t want to be in that kind of debt. What if I told you that assistance is a perfectly normal thing to need AND give? What if I told you that everyone isn’t out to get you and people really can mean you well? What if I told you that blessings don’t have a contingency plan?
There is a true blessing in the act of assistance. It shows comradery for your fellow man, helps to relieve stress, and can give hope in humanity. But you have to open yourself up to it. You cannot go through life looking every gift horse in the mouth or waiting for the other shoe to drop. That doesn’t help your mental health at all. Now I’m not saying not to be cautious. Because there are people out there who don’t mean you well and will try to hold things against you. But that’s where discernment comes into play (we talked about that last week) and making good judgement calls. Deep down you can feel when a person should be trustworthy and it’s ok to go with your gut. So how do we get back to gut trusting and away from paranoia and reluctance? Let’s affirm!
Affirmation 1: I embracing assistance. It’s ok if you can’t do it all by yourself. You’re only human after all. If you can embrace the opportunity to be blessed you will relieve yourself of so much stress. Let good things happen to and for you.
Affirmation 2: There are good people out there. There really are, friend. Everybody isn’t out to get you, I promise. And when you’ve been hurt before, I know that can be a hard thing to accept. I know that the wounds caused by harmful people are slow to heal. But they CAN heal, and you should allow for that healing. Allow yourself to be a blessing to others by letting them bless you.
Affirmation 3: God always provides… and that includes friends. Now, full transparency. I struggle with assistance myself. It’s not easy for me to put my hand out and ask others to help me when I’m in need. My anxiety doesn’t let me let people get too close. But I’ve never struggled with asking God. The bible says “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) And I believe it! Wholeheartedly! I whisper my desires to Him and He always provides. And sometimes that provision comes in the form of me putting myself out there and seeking the assistance. God leads the right ones to me, and He’ll do the same for you!
Friends, I hope you can embrace assistance and stop getting in your own way. I hope you can open your heart to the bonds of family and friendship and accept the help that can and will come your way. My prayer for you tonight is that your discernment be high and you be bold in your asking. God says the world is His to give… we just have to ask Him for what we want. I love you, and I’m always rooting for you. Keep conquering daily!
EMBRACING EMOTION: THE BLOG 