Today we have a post by our sweet contributor, Jenny Nanninga, of The Sweet Stuff :
I am a classic multi-tasker. Iron in too many fires. I-can-do-it-all mentality.
I love to help others and I even coordinate the meals ministry at my church. I usually thrive on busyness.
However, life recently has been full to the point of overwhelming. A newborn, a busy season with my at-home job, financial difficulties, and then my three-year-old broke her leg.
Suddenly, my go-getter attitude turned to one of defeat and stress. So, when a couple friends offered to bring meals and my mom offered to come stay with me, I hesitated before responding with my typical, “I’m fine.”
I realized that I wasn’t fine. I realized that instead of being the one to give help, perhaps I needed to accept help.
Philippians 2:4 tells us,“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
By saying, “Yes” to those who wanted to help, I was allowing them to live out what scripture calls us to.
When we say yes to the help of others we allow them to, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ,” as Galations 6:2 commands.
By admitting my need and showing my weaknesses, I opened up the door for others to bless me, and in turn, I blessed them. Those friends were able to share the love of Christ by serving me. They were filled with joy, knowing that they had helped a sister in need.
Although I don’t like to be weak and I don’t like to admit it when I simply can not “do it all,” I know that when I am weak, Christ is magnified. My struggles allowed the body of Christ to come together and to show God’s love to me, my children, and to the world.
So, when friends wanted to stop by with Get Well cards, cookies, and gifts for my injured child, I didn’t quickly say, “You don’t have to do that.” Instead, I responded with, ”That would be wonderful,” and it truly was.
We all need help, sometimes. When we accept help from others, we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in them, we are allowing the Body of Christ to serve, we are allowing our hearts to be humbled. We can bless our family, our friends, and ourselves by simply saying, “Yes,” when others say, “Can I help?”
Don’t be afraid of needing help. God designed us to need help, sometimes. He designed us to need Him and to need one another and it is a beautiful thing.
