Accept Help and Support from Others

So Joshua did as Moses said, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the hilltop. Now when Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hand [due to fatigue], Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy and he grew tired. So they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other side; so it was that his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed and defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Exodus 17:10-13 (AMP) 

I have a confession: I’m not perfect. Hard to believe, isn’t it? What I’ve written below is humbling, but I’m laying it out for the world to see. 

My responsibilities include working long hours at home to provide an income for my family, caregiving for my husband, handling my son’s ongoing issues, doing all the shopping and heavy lifting, cooking, coordinating multiple medical appointments, wrestling with never-ending paperwork, making important life decisions, managing my own health needs (when I can fit that in), attempting to keep the world spinning, and ... and ... and ... The truth is I can’t do it all. I get weary.

At times I struggle just to hold my head on my neck, yet I’m embarrassed when visitors see my clutter and the piles of unwashed pots and pans on the counter. I don’t want them to know the real me—someone who has shortcomings. I’ll admit I occasionally have trouble letting people into my life because of a crazy feeling that I’m being judged for what I haven’t done. 

Yes, I know that’s flawed thinking—thinking I’m overcoming after years of trials and having no recourse but to rely on other people’s help. I’m finally grasping this reality: I can’t survive without support and assistance. 

Even Moses couldn’t. When Joshua fought Amalek, Moses stood at the top of the hill with his hands raised in prayer. While they were lifted high, the Israelites prevailed. But when Moses struggled and his arms dropped due to fatigue, the enemy overpowered them. Aaron and Hur brought a stone and encouraged Moses to sit, and they stood by his side to uphold him until the sun went down. Because of their support, the battle Moses oversaw was won. 

Likewise, we can endure our battles with the help of others. 

On many occasions friends, family, and church members have come alongside to keep me from falling. I had emergency gall bladder surgery that required a seven-day hospital stay three weeks after my daughter was born. I wasn’t able to carry her for seven weeks. I also had a twenty-month-old son at home. It would have been an impossible situation without help. 

After our run-in with the drunk driver, friends and acquaintances filled in at our Christian bookstore and vending company. They did chores, kid duty, ran errands, and watched over me. 

During agonizing times with my husband’s health issues and hospitalizations, my friend Jennifer mothered me, and my friend Nancy cared for our three children. 

Most recently with my cancer treatments, numerous people have sustained our family through monetary gifts, meals, yard work, house projects, prayers, and encouragement. 

Does accepting help mean that I’m weak? That Moses was weak? That you’re weak? No. It means God provides what we need to keep us strong. It’s a message worth remembering.

Loving God, thank you for the support and help of caring people. If I had to face my battles alone, I don’t know how I would endure. Thank you for knowing who I need and what I need and right when I need it. You are so good to me. I like to think that I can do it all, and I get frustrated when I can’t, but the reality is that nobody can. You created us for friendship and fellowship and to uphold each other. Even Moses became fatigued and needed help. Thank you for reminding me that accepting assistance doesn’t mean I’m weak. It means you love me enough to keep me strong through others. 

Power Statement: God keeps me strong through the help of others. I will gratefully accept their support. 

Reflection and Response: How are you at accepting assistance from others? What battles have you faced that you couldn’t have survived without the help of other people? How did it make you feel to have their support? Is there someone who might need your help today?

This devotion is an excerpt from The Power to Be, © 2018 Twila Belk. Used by permission of BroadStreet Publishing.