Most of Us Like to Help Others. Guess Who Also Needs Help at Times?
Folks often talk about stress. I get it. Most of us have too much to think about and balance and juggle, don’t we? Apparently, that’s life as we know it. Between jobs, home tasks, relationships, self-care, spiritual growth, children or lack of them, spouse or lack of one, finances, professional growth, caring for others, dealing with past failures or hurts, and financial advancement or lack of it, we really do have tons of stuff on our plates.
How do we handle it all? Who is there who can help carry the load and lend some support? Let me suggest we stop just a few minutes and consider from where real, helpful support could come.
- How about “being still” and knowing that He is God? Even from college days and in my early walk with Christ (a long time ago) I discovered that giving Him time in the morning or sometime in my day, put my To Do list in better perspective. We simply call it prayer or time with God.
- How about having a relationship with your spouse, if you have one, or another friend, where the two of you can talk, plan, and pray (there it is again) together? Sharing the load, knowing someone else cares, and bringing Jesus into the mix all work to lighten the load under shared shoulders.
- This may seem counter-intuitive, but sharing someone’s burden by offering to help or just doing some of the workload they carry may very well lighten our own load. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Right? (Galatians 6:2, Acts 20:35)
Parents need support, grandparents need support, spouses need support, children need support, grandchildren, bosses and employees need support. You probably need support. Maybe it is time to ask for it with the understanding that no-one actually HAS TO give it, but at least they will know we are strong enough to admit our need for help. That’s right…strong enough, not weak.
Maybe your marriage needs support. Try the three steps above. Use the 52- Week Plan to help start meaningful conversations to actually find clarity for next steps to get help from your spouse or give help to your spouse. Go on a marriage retreat, get away for a few days together and just relax and get centered again. Maybe you two could discuss the children too and focus on a plan to help them become the kids you want them to be. Maybe speak with a trusted friend or counselor sooner rather than later.
A prayer retreat might be in order for you individually or with a friend- to read scripture, talk to Jesus, and listen to the Holy Spirit’s response. Maybe you can discover how much support God already has given and how much His love for you is foundational to your successfully dealing with the stress in life.
Perhaps you think you have to control all the outcomes of every situation and every person in your life. You don’t. You can’t. Maybe it is time to surrender control to the God Who loves you and Who actually has control of outcomes. He works all things together for your good if you love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) He sacrificed His Son Jesus Christ in order to give you the chance to surrender – to let go and let God.