Help yourself. Yeah, right.

There’s a saying that goes “God helps those who help themselves.” I’m pretty sure that concept isn’t in the Bible. Probably thought up by a man (ha!). Really, how many of us have energy to “help” ourselves after helping everyone else all day? Listen to what God says in Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” And then again in Isaiah 41:13, “For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Those verses say nothing about God helping you only after you’ve tended to yourself first. “Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom,” my two-year-old says repeatedly until I help him. Fortunately for us, all we have to do is say “God” once, and He comes to us in our time of need. Even if it means praying the baby to sleep in the middle of the night. Can I get an amen? God knows your needs. Do you know your needs? Do you know how to ask for a need to be met or how to recognize when it’s already been done? Or, have you forgotten that you need to be cared for too? As moms, we so often are drained at the end of the day that we don’t even know what we need (except for maybe a hot bath and sleep!). The holidays are rapidly approaching. We NEED God to keep our focus on track, to grant us extra patience and to convict us about the things in life that are really important. Try taking some time today, whether driving home from work or while you swing the kids outside, to ask God to be your help. Trust Him to do what He says, have faith in waiting for an answered prayer, and “help yourself” to depend on Him to hold you up with His righteous right hand.