"Help Myself?"

"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Isaiah 40:29

I was involved in a conversation today with someone who is a real intellectual. They can't think outside of the natural course of life. Their understanding leaves no room for God and His intervention in the course of human events- especially on a personal level. We were talking about a situation and I was sharing my testimony of how miraculously God moved on my behalf. They completely ignored God's intervention and made the comment: "The Lord helps those who help themselves". At that point I ended the conversation because sometimes you are wasting your time to give any further explanation, you can't say anything else until the Spirit begins to open their eyes, and in some cases you are casting your pearls before swine.

What I would have loved to said to him was- that is NOT scriptural. It may sound like a "noble" statement, but it's humanistic reasoning! The truth is: "God helps those who CAN'T help themselves"! Oh, I know that God does expect us to do some things and that we are workers together with God; also I am not talking about an excuse for laziness. And true enough He won't do some things for me when I can do them for myself. But... there is a terrible problem with that sort of thinking. It's a blanket statement that negates man's need for God.

First, it tends to make you feel that God will not help you unless you are helping yourself. Let's face it, there is much that we cannot do, so does that mean we are to expect no help from God? Second, it puts words in God's mouth- it makes Him say something that He never has nor ever will. Thirdly, if I could help myself I wouldn't have a need for God.

When I fall, I can't help myself up. When I sin, I can't forgive myself. When I am downcast, I can't lift up my own head. When I am in the valley of decision, I don't know which path to take. When I am in need, I can't always meet that need- no matter how hard I try, how long I work, etc. When I have a mountain in front of me, I can't move it. When I am weak, I cannot strengthen and empower my own self. And God knows that! That's why He gives me the invitation to come to Him, to call upon Him, to look to Him, to trust in Him, to lean upon Him, to seek Him and to be confident in Him.

Have a great day. He helps me because I can't help myself.