Do You Want God’s Help?

Do You Want God’s Help?

There have been many times in my life where I have wanted and needed God’s help, but I kept doing the same things, over and over again, trying to affect change. Then I wondered where God was and why He wasn’t doing anything. I wondered why He wasn’t blessing my efforts. Slowly, (and maybe miraculously) I am learning how to turn my problems over to God. I’m learning how to do my part, and then get out of God’s way so that He can do His work.

Do you have problems in your life and do you want God’s help? Consider the following.

Step down off of your problem-treadmill. (This may be your soap-box, high-horse, martyr platform, victim mentality, God platform, or whatever format you take to try to control and fix your problems, circumstances, and others.)

Ask God for His help. Sometimes, (many times), I find it best to get down on my knees and pray. When I don’t know what else to pray for, I ask God for mercy and to show me what to do. Pray large prayers – ask God for a miracle. And pray small, specific prayers. For example – “For today God, help me to get through this.”

Seek out what God would have you do. This is difficult. You have been doing the same things over and over again with little or no result. You will need to step outside of your own thought pattern. You will need help to do this.

Try going to God’s Word. Read what God has to say about your type of circumstance. Learn about God.

If you are fairly familiar with the Bible and God’s ways, you can ask, “What would God have me do?” And then spend some time pondering on this question.

You can specifically pray, “God, what would you have me do?” Then quiet your mind and soul for a minute and just listen. Yes, this really works. (I learned this from a really wise pastor/counselor.)

Find a wise Christian mentor. Find a friend, acquaintance, counselor, or pastor who shows wisdom, discernment, and spiritual growth in their own life. Ask them for insight on your circumstances.

If your problem involves a person, quit trying to change this other person. If you are like me, you have already told this person, many times over, what they “should” be doing. You’ve tried this in a variety of ways. It has not worked. I have learned from my own crazy, repeated attempts at the impossible, that I cannot change anyone else. The only person I can change is myself. This is difficult enough.

(One of the greatest strides I took, was going to my wise counselor and saying, “I don’t care whether this other person changes or not, tell me what I need to do.” I’ve been shocked at the surprising number of options that I have available to me.)

Be careful in what you say. If I still feel compelled to tell my difficult person anything, it should most likely include – encouragement for them, admission of my own problems and guilt in the matter, and admission of my own feelings. (A feelings example would be, “That hurts when you say that,” instead of, “You are so stupid for saying that.”)

Ask questions. We need to learn to ask lots of questions – of others, ourselves, and God. We need to ask ourselves (and God), at specific times, “What is my responsibility in this matter? What would You have me do, God?”

Here’s another example. With the difficult person in my life, I was always the one to apologize. For everything. We had another disagreement and later I started feeling guilty that I hadn’t apologized. However, I didn’t feel like getting up and having to go back and find this person. So I prayed. “God, if you want me to apologize to them, I will, just show me.” I felt God telling me rather strongly, “I didn’t tell you to apologize.” I had a picture of myself being the one who always picked up the “suitcases” and heavy load. I never gave the other person a chance to take any responsibility.

We must keep training ourselves to look to God. We need to specifically ask God for His help and give God time to work. We must listen for what He wants to tell us.

“Help me God, to dispense with the fighting tools of my choice, be it sledge hammer or running shoes. Help me to stop and listen for Your voice. Help me to be amenable to the changes You want to make in me. Help me to know and see the truth. Do a miracle in my life (and in me).”