Help Me!?

My 2 year old son is dealing with a constant struggle recently.  He desires to be independent, but still needs assistance with certain tasks.  Everyday, we go through this routine. He yells for help, and I come to his aid. As soon as I show up, he says, “No! Mine.” When I ask if he wants help, he shakes his head no, emphatically.  So I leave the room.  Seconds later, “Mommy! I want help.” The routine starts all over again.  It’s quite frustrating for both of us. 

This morning it reminded me how we do that with God. We cry out for his help, knowing we cannot do it alone. Yet right as He shows up, we are in the middle of trying to solve it on our own.  We want to fix it ourselves because either we don’t have the patience to wait on God and trust his timing, or we just want to do it our way.  It is a frustrating struggle for control.

Eventually my child may recognize his true need for help, though it may not be until he is out of this house.  Sure, he is learning to do more and more on his own, which is good.  This is a normal struggle for toddlers.  However, we can learn from their struggle.  We just can’t do everything on our own. It okay to ask for help and accept the helping hand when it is offered.  Our pride has no worth.   We need a Savior!  We need the Holy Spirit in order to make good choices and we need the Word to guide us and teach us.  We need the church for encouragement and support and accountability.  We need God’s hand.  Life is so much less stressful when we accept the great help that comes from His provision.