Could You Help Me with This?
“Bear one another’s burdens.” —Galatians 6:2
It’s easy for some of us to be helpers. To be the ones who know how. Who can do. I like being in this group.
But to suddenly need help? To not know what to do next? Worse, once we learn what’s needed next, to be unable to do that? I don’t like being in this group.
“I don’t know what to do.” That’s the first thing I said when I fell and broke my ankle six weeks and six days ago (but who’s counting?).
“I don’t know what to do.” Thankfully, others did.
I’m learning to ask for help. Slowly. It’s humbling when it’s our turn to be on this side of the equation.
Maybe that’s why Galatians’ tone is one of mutuality: “Bear one another’s burdens.”
Sounds like the Body of Christ to me: working together, taking turns, and sharing.
But those also sound like kindergarten lessons. Which might be exactly the kind of lessons some of us still need to learn.
joescheets 
It seems standard to consider helping as a strength and asking for help as a weakness, but in reality, we are called to ask for help way more often than we actually do…otherwise is to attempt to deny God the control that is His. I recently basically demanded to take a friend of mine to surgery rather than have her take a cab. I think asking for help can be especially difficult for folks who have been denied needed help in the past, or felt let down by the people in their lives who were supposed to help them. Having said that, I’ll also admit that I am not a good example for asking for help when needed, and I struggle with trying to be “in control” all the time also.
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Thanks for this, Julie. Appreciate your honesty. Doubt we’re alone in this.
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Maybe that’s why Jesus said we have to become like a little child to enter the Kingdom. They are more willing to learn kindergarden lessons than we are!
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Was about to say “LOL” but then realized how right you are, Nina! Whoops.
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I am costantly on the receiving end of comments about how caring and available I am to others and how much others love that about me. As recently as Friday, I was told how much I am missed doing those things in person, not just by computer or phone.
I constantly seem to need help, lately, and have gone to places like Faith In Action who volunteer for such, but most are unknown to me before getting a ride or a trip to the store. With surgeries followed by long recoveries, then followed by an accident laying me up further, I feel horrible to ask for help. In the length of time since my current incapicitation, I have chosen to ask those I am closely related to or church friends for help. With family, things like rides, etc. With church, things as simple as a visit.
Since September, unfortunately, I can count on one hand the number of visits and lost track of the excuses family has for not helping. I have been thanking God for the help of my ex-husband to make it through. I have my Sunday Services on DVD every week, by mail. My Faith hasn’t faltered (much), but I have had a great many questions He hasn’t been able to answer.
Spending so little time here these days, pulling up your mother’s words of wisdom last night before shutting down to read today, going back to your older posts, thanks for a safe place to vent this. Even if it does still feel like whining and complaining.
Big whoops?
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thanks for all this
glad some of this helps a bit
got lotsa questions myself
for real
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