"God doesn't help those who don't help themselves"

Someone made this statement recently. The family actually had a discussion over dinner one day.

This statement is so very wrong but it has been repeated so many times, many have just quote it as a truth… THINK. If we can help ourselves, God will never be able to come into the picture.

I really don't blame people who misunderstood this statement. In my teenage years when I was a student leader, I used to use this phrase too until I was opened to a new understanding by a pastor.

If we can help ourselves, we will never go to God, so how then does God come in to help us? The very fact that we stand helpless and surrender all, that's when God is able to be God in all our situations in life.

2 Timothy 1:9
"…not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before ages began."

Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen"

Looking at all the miracles of God…did the people or were the people able to help themselves….

Matt 14 : 15 –18 
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, They do not need to go away. (Here, we see even God did not want the people to go and help themselves) You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.  “Bring them here to me,” He said.  And He directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Mark 4 : 35 – 41
That day when evening came, He said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”  Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”

There were many, many more miracles performed by God in the past, even now. But notice, the miracles performed were at those times where difficult situations were faced by the people. In the above examples, the crowd who has nothing to eat, the disciples who were caught in a storm. The healing of the leper, the healing of the blind man…they were all in an unfavourable condition. Remember the Sunday School song we used to sing….

He's able, He's able
I know He's able,
I know my Lord is able to carry me thru.
He heals the broken-hearted
He set the captives free
He makes the lame to walk again
He cause the blind to see….
 
So, don't sit and laze around and pray that God will rain notes and coins from heaven.

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.
Proverbs 6: 6 –11

You still need to work, you still need to study but when faced with difficulties, don't try to be god. Let God be God!