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Asking God For Help Part 1

Posted by arsindelve on 10/30/2007 12:47:44 PM
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"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:6-7)

I think we sometimes miss the point of petitioning God. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking God for things we need or even things we want. The important thing to keep in mind is that actually getting the thing we're asking for is the least important part of the whole process.

This seems counterintuitive. Why ask for something if you don't care if you get it? I'm not saying you should not care about the issue which is troubling you; I'm saying you should not be concerned with the exact outcome. We need to trust God to solve the problem His way.

Suppose you're having trouble making ends meet and you're not sure how you will pay this month's bills. You may ask God to send you some extra money. You may ask God to help you find a better paying job. In all likelihood, God is not going to do either of those things, though it's certainly possible. The point is that it really doesn't matter how God decides to solve the problem. By asking God for help, you have admitted that you need Him, and that is what really matters. How God decides to deal with the issue is immaterial, but rest assured He will intervene in the best way possible.

God does not want you to depend on a particular solution; he wants you to depend on Him.

Asking for God's help in all situations is a very important part of our relationship with Him. When you ask for God to help, you are indirectly saying that you trust him and that you need him. You are admitting your weakness and acknowledging His strength. You are submitting and surrendering to Him.

But what are we saying to God if we never ask for His help? We are saying we don't need him. We are sending the message that we have no need of His blessing or protection and we want to go it alone.

Another reason to ask for God's help is not to seek a specific outcome, but rather to receive his comfort, support and peace. God may not provide a direct resolution to every difficulty in our lives, but he will comfort us. When you seek God during times of trouble, large or small, you are saying, "God, be with me during this time. Let my thoughts be with you and let me feel your presence."

Fail to bring your cares to God, and you are not only saying, "I don't need you" but also, "I don't want you around right now. I'm busy dealing with this problem."

As is so often the case, Jesus provides us with the example.

Then Jesus brought them to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, Sit here while I go on ahead to pray. He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. He told them, My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me. He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine. (Matthew 26:36-39)


Let's first take note of the fact that the night before his greatest trial and suffering, Jesus wants nothing more than to spend time with the Father. Though he must be weary and worn out as His disciples were, there is no greater priority for the Lord than to pray.

But what is perhaps more surprising is that Jesus is asking for something he knows he cannot have. When Jesus asks, "let this cup be taken from me", he is perfectly aware that it is the Father's will for him to proceed, so why even ask?

Jesus speaks these words not to seek a result, but simply to express his anguish and anxiety. Jesus is not asking for a reprieve, He is asking for comfort. Just as we must do, Jesus is asking His father to be with him, support Him and give Him the strength to endure what must be done.

This is the pattern our prayers must follow. Tell the Lord everything you need and share with Him every care and worry that is on your mind. Don't seek a resolution, but seek God instead and you will receive peace and comfort, along with God's best solution thrown in for free. It almost certainly won't be the solution you had in mind, and it may not be easy to endure, but it will be the right solution in the long run.

Comments


this was very help. we need this at this time of the year.
anonymous- 11/14/2007 11:50:32 AM

thanks for the encouragement - this is a good reminder to depend on God and not the situational circumstances in all times.
anonymous- 11/14/2007 3:35:13 PM

Thank you.
anonymous- 11/19/2007 9:46:36 PM

What a wonderful devotional. It was an answer to prayer and that God truly wants us to depend on us for His provisions and not our own, even when the answer is No.

anonymous- 11/23/2007 10:57:52 AM

Apart from God wd have no answers.
anonymous- 11/24/2007 6:12:03 AM

These is very helpful. The part that it is not what I want but the need of Jesus' help. Not the way I want the outcome but the way God answers is very comforting.
anonymous- 11/24/2007 10:09:54 PM

The bottom line is trust in the Lord with all your heart and soul and lean not on you own understanding.
anonymous- 11/25/2007 12:54:49 AM

Your website reminds me what has been missing in my life lately. A gentle reminder what I must do. Thank you!!
anonymous- 11/25/2007 3:55:39 PM

I needed this. Thanks
anonymous- 11/26/2007 9:43:20 PM

I needed it too. I put so much in his hands right now I feel guilty.
anonymous- 11/27/2007 2:01:29 PM

thanks for lifting me up, for showing that God is still in control. Being a Christian is not just a one day thing, but a lifetime of learning and believing.
anonymous- 11/29/2007 12:24:36 PM

i'm facing a really difficult situation but this devotional certainly showed me how much I need to depend on Him and not on my own strength.
anonymous- 11/30/2007 7:24:19 PM

thanks for His word i've been in such distress over a break up in a relatioship not sure of god's will ??
anonymous- 12/6/2007 5:35:48 AM

I felt a need to ask God for help so I went to my computer and entered " help me God " and I found this website. I'm searching for an answer to a very difficult time in my life. I do need help god. This article helped me relieve tears that I have been holding for months due to anger with my mother & brother's death. I don't understand it but I'm trying really hard to deal with it. It angers me to hear
people complain about having to visit there mother or family. I have to visit them at a grave instead. Wake up
people and see how blessed you are to have a chance to
laugh and talk to someone you love before it's too late
anonymous- 12/11/2007 8:39:59 PM

Hi; I'm that 15 year old who lost their phone (if that's even really relevant) and I just wanted to say "thanks" again. These devotionals have really touched me and they put into perspective what God does and will do, and how we need to respond. Along with losing that cell phone, I've just moved directly from the west coast to the east, and I've been having a little trouble with God...not much, but enough. It's hard to trust him when he takes away family and best friends...but I do anyway. I know he's taking care of me and I'd really like your prayers to accompany my journey through this new territory = )
astr323- 12/16/2007 12:11:49 PM

I am so glad I found this site. I understand better what I must do when I pray
anonymous- 12/28/2007 8:40:55 AM

I needed help and am glad I got this site. I feel so relieved. I know exactly how to pray and for what to pray now.
anonymous- 1/4/2008 2:49:19 PM

I think it is very important for us all to understand as christians we know that God can perform miracles, so everything we pray for he will be able to help us with! It won't be the way we expect i'm sure, it will be more touching and more amazing, thing's that we won't even think is possible! That's why I Love HIM as my Lord and Saviour! I hope he Blesses me in my life, through all my problems and struggles. God Bless You All!
Remember he is always watching over you!
Let HIM be in your Life and know that you will have Eterrnal life!
anonymous- 1/6/2008 5:44:58 AM

I really needed to have these words of inspiration reinforced in my life ... I had not looked at asking for God's help for this point of view ... and I really do need His comfort, support and peace.
anonymous- 1/6/2008 5:59:39 PM

It is really difficult leaving your faith in someone you've never met, such as GOD. But trust me, HE does exsist. HE'S taken me out of situatins that only God could pull a stunt like that. GOD BLESS EVERYONE!!!!!!! HAVE FAITH!!!
anonymous- 1/9/2008 5:16:06 PM

HAVING FAITH IN FATHER GOD IS SO AWESOME! HE ANSWERS EVERY PRAYER IN THE WAY THAT HONORS GOD! IT IS A HAPPY EVENT-YOU LEARN SO MUCH IN THE LOVE HE HAS FOR BEINGS THAT HE CREATED FOR UNSELFISHNESS. WALK WITH THE LORD DAILY-YOU WILL THEN HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE IN HEAVEN WITH GOD-MY JESUS HIS SON & THE PEACE OF MIND KNOWING WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES US DAILY! I LOVE EACH OF YOU-DON'T MISS OUT ON SEEING CHRIST COMING IN THE CLOUD WITH ALL THE ANGELS-TO TAKE THE REDEEMED HOME. CHRIS
anonymous- 1/30/2008 3:28:51 PM

I am struggling today, as I have been this last few weeks. These words of encouragement really helped. Although I have been praying for help, I do not think I have given up completely and just believed my Lord will take care of me. Today I am turning all my troubles over to the Lord and I am comforted in knowing he will handle it in whatever way HE sees fit. I will be ok.
anonymous- 2/1/2008 2:50:27 PM

I too have been having a really hard time lately. I know God loves me and I keep trusting him. I just have trouble some days. I'll give him a problem but then I take it back. I'm workig on it though. Thanks for the site. This was a great help today.
anonymous- 2/6/2008 10:34:34 AM

I HAVETO TELL YOU -WHAT A GOD WE HACE!!!! TREMENDOUS-FANTASTIC!!!! ALL LOVING!!!!! ALL PATIENT!!!!! I HAVE ASKED GOD FOR HELP IN THE DARKEST OF NIGHTS COMING HOME FROM WORK ON THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT-BROKE DOWN BY THE ROADSIDE & GOD SENT HIS ANGELS THREE OR FOUR TIMES-THEY LEAD ME ALL THE WAY HOME.ANOTHER TIME IT WAS POURING DOWN RAINING & MY NORMAL ROUTE WAS CLOSED-I DROVE ALL THE WAY IN THE AREA WHERE NO CARS WERE AROUND-I STOPPED & PRAYED & A LADY KNOCKED ON MY WINDOW TO ASK IF I WAS LOST-THEN SHE SAID-TURN AROUND FOLLOW ME-TOOK ME ALL THE Way HOME. ANOTHER TIME I JUMPED THE CURB ENTERING THE FREEWAY & KNOCKED MY FRONT TIRE BENT & COULDN'T DRIVE-I SAT & PRAYED-THREE 18 YR YOUNG MEN CAME TO MY RESCUE-CHanged the tire-one of them drove me home-the next day they came back-went to the junk yard-PICKED UP A RIM TO MATCH EXACTLY LIKE THE OTHERS-GOT MY SPARE FIXED & CAME BACK TO MY HOUSE TO DELIVER THEM. WHAT ANGELS GOD HAS WORKING ON THIS EARTH!!!! BE AN ANGEL FOR GOD!!!!! I RECENTLY WAS SO DEVASTATED BY A TROUBLED SON- I PRAYED TO GODMY SON BECAME DEPRESSEDSATAN PUT DOUBT IN MY MIND- TODAY I CALLED UPON GOD -ASKING FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR MY FAMILY-AND I ASKED IF I COULD JUST HAVE A CRUMB OF HIS MIRACLE FOR HAPPINESS-JOY-PEACE-LOVE-UNDERSTANDING-GOD GAVE IT TO ME. PRAISE GOD. I LOVE EACH OF YOU! CHRIS 2/12/08
anonymous- 2/12/2008 6:21:17 PM

Thank you for the encouragement! I have had my license for over two years, but...with bills and all just havent had the money for a car; I have a loan im paying on so i cant get one now; the ONLY hope I have is God! I THINK He is answering in His way! I was "hoping" for a Jeep but NOW I dont care what I get! He answers in the most unusual way: I have a friend who has had different cars (he is older than me)and he has had four honda accords over the years> he had a NICE one two years ago and he saw me the other day: he said "do you have the car yet" and I said no; he asked if I remembered his other one and I said yes. He is going to look for a second hand honda accord! Its a blessing! It will be reliable, cheap on gas and I wont have to get a second job cause I can afford this one! Praise to God for answering prayers in the least unexpected ways...but better than what I had planned! He always answers different than what we expect but..God is God; He answers better!!! Bless you all!!! Kelly
anonymous- 2/19/2008 7:13:02 PM

This is a great devotion I myself over the years of serving God have never thought about asking for his help in a way as this describes. Prayers are answered sometimes in ways we dont understand such as a family member being sick and the Lord sees fit to take that person home to be with him. Sometimes that dont seem the right thing at the time however The Lord knows what is best. I didn't know about this website until last week and this is the first deviotion I have read and it has truely blessed my heart it is good to know that God is willing to listen and answer prayer
anonymous- 2/20/2008 1:16:06 PM

It seems so easy to say "I will trust God with my life" - but how often do we actually do it? I can start the day off well but then as I get out into the world, things deteriorate as I start trusting in my own ability to handle things. I'm determined to be more focussed on letting God have control throughout the day - showing Him that I trust Him with EVERYTHING. This morning, I read this verse from Romans 15:13 - I'm committing it to memory so that I'll be ready for anything!

"May the God of HOPE fill you with JOY and PEACE as you TRUST IN HIM, so that you may OVERFLOW WITH HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Sydney, Australia
Julia- 3/18/2008 3:35:19 PM

Thank you so much...........My husband is working in Egypt and when he first joined 2 years ago he was having a very hard time with the boss nephews . The boss realised what a hard working and honest person my husband is.He was like a rock and supported him right through and they formed a strong relationship.Wilbur loved him like a father and was growing so well in his career,we joined him in Egypt and both my children started school and univericity.
These 2 nephews were cheating him and finally through some other person he found out what they were doing.Since he is stationed in Dubai he came to egypt 3 weeks ago to settle this .He arrived on friday and on saturday he came to the unit where my husband heads and his last words were 'Wilbur if you can't trust your own family who can you trust' and showed Wil his hands asking i don't know which one to trust and said don't worry i will settle all this . My husband was showing him some arears where they had robbed him.That never happened as the next day he had a stroke and died.Now his brother has taken over and these two nephews are in full control throwing out innocent people from the company for no reason at all.We know we will have to go sooner or later and my worry is my children education and all the hard work and honesty for what..........My husband offered his resiganation as he was very upset with them sacking honest staff for no reason at all.they did not accept his resignation as they need him for now.I hope and pray that the truth be known............i was so deseprate and went to my computer asking jesus for help and i read this and now i know that i just have to leave this to him and he will lead the way.
anonymous- 3/23/2008 6:42:10 PM

Thank-you. I understand what you mean and trust the lord to help me in HIS own way.
anonymous- 3/26/2008 6:54:33 AM

I'm going through some very tough financial times right now. I had to close my business in January and I'm in need of full time employment to provide for my family of four. Trusting God has been difficult, but I know it's the only way. I have pretty much made a mess of things doing it in my own strength. I have been petitioning HIM for a job but maybe the answer is something else right now. I'm not sure what it would be so I'LL let HIM handle it. Thanks for your words of encouragement.
anonymous- 3/28/2008 12:52:51 PM

Thank you for the devotional,
The 1 Peter 5 verse was absolutely spot on! I have some serious issues about humbling myself. I find I'm mad at God about the circumstances in my life. Is it okay to be mad at God?

Anyway, the devotion helped alot. all this time, I've been praying expectiing the outcome. Instead of praying and waiting on the Lord.

Please, anyone who reads this pray for me and my family. I have eight children.

My youngest child, Ezekiel John,who is 17 mos. has a disease called Mitochondria disease. It's been unreal difficult to deal with.

Pray also for my 14 yr. old Jesse has scoliosis at a 53 degree angle and has to have surgery. He's scared.

God bless all of you!!
may we all pray for the brethren and our sisters in the Lord.

I PRAY THAT YOU ALL KEEP THE FAITH AS THE TIME DRAWS NEAR FOR OUR PRECIOUS SAVIOUR TO COME BACK. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!
With love, John
anonymous- 4/13/2008 2:26:22 AM

God is love. I love God. It is often difficult to " trust" people in this world. However, you can always "trust" God.
anonymous- 6/7/2008 7:43:15 PM

I have been seeking God for help in a great mess that I'm in. A business gone sour and bills to big to even mention. I have prayed every day "Lord, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory. Amen!

I have yet to make it through a day that doesn't bring about the news that I dread. I also have made it through every day. There are times that I look back at my own personal decisions and see that I just wondered about aimlessly through the responsible moments. Now I face a great catastrophy and I do not know what will become of my situation.

I can do nothing but go about my daily business in a more responsible way and ask God for His miracle...and the inner voice tells me that it will come. It will come before I know it, and I may not even recognize it when it is happening.

I rejoice in one thing...that I know God hears my prayer and I know that He will answer!

I encourage each one reading to take each day at a time. We cannot do anything about the past (with the excetion of restitution), and the future is always uncertain! Yet God...He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The children in the wilderness were taken care of daily with miracles from heaven...yet they had a hard time recognizing it.

Look for the daily miracle from God...and it will come!
anonymous- 6/10/2008 4:39:51 PM

I have been struggling with a situation that has caused a lot of suffering in my life, I know God hears my prayers. Now I know I must wait on him to answer in his own way not mines.
CW
anonymous- 6/14/2008 12:04:09 PM

I had serious business problems 2 years ago and i prayed to god for help both for what i needed and spiritually,he came through for me. Last week i prayed to him because my business was suffering again, he gave me peace of mind and i found that i wasnt worried about the future and put my future in his hands and just decided to do my best on a daily basis. I did promise that I would start going to church, i will go, I wont let him down.
anonymous- 6/30/2008 4:44:38 AM

I keep praying, I keep seeking His guidence, I keep riding the ups and downs and I always return to Him and I always ask Him to help me to have faith, and yet I seem to recieve no answers and I feel that I am alone and that my prayers are not only unanswered but unheard...and yet I still pray.

I don't know His will for me, but he seems to be cold and distant.
anonymous- 7/8/2008 11:43:17 PM

I once heard somebody say that God tests the people he truly cares about. I didn't really know what that meant until I came here and read other people's comments. I would think that having a lot of bad things happen in your life would bring you closer to God... because praying is the only thing you can do that makes you seem like you have some control. I struggle with giving all control to God, because I'm the kind of person that likes to be in control. I have trouble admitting my mistakes, and I always think I'm right. I'm hoping God will teach me how to be humble and accept what other people say. I'm starting to pray more often now, and it's reassuring to know that there's somebody out there who truly cares, and that it's not all on my shoulders.
anonymous- 7/15/2008 12:35:35 AM

Thank You, after reading this devotional it has made me realize GOD will always be beside us in good and bad situations and he will never forsake anyone no matter what the out come might be God Ble