Phillipians 2:4
Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
I have this problem. I don’t really know if you even can call it a problem. I have a problem with accepting help. I am the type of person that is more than happy to offer a helping hand. To help a friend out who just needs a break from cooking, their kids, who is in a bind, or just because. I mull over ways that I can help someone even if they are hundreds of miles away. Why is it that when someone offers to help me, I often quickly deny them helping me? I don’t consider myself a really strong person. I know I can’t do everything by myself, yet I am by myself most of the time with our kids…grocery shopping, activities, shopping, recreational activities, cooking, cleaning, home schooling etc… I guess I have just gotten used to doing most things on my own. I don’t know why it is so hard for me to quickly respond and say yes I need your help. I often think that why would you want to help me? I often feel bad that someone had to go out of their way to help me. I don’t want to be an inconvenience to anyone’s straight and narrow. If I have something coming up where I need to rely on someone else’s help, I will stress about it…sometimes for months….thinking about if it is worth asking someone to help me, or if it would be better just do figure out how to get xyz done without asking for help. I usually opt for the latter. So today as I am supposed to be resting in bed…kind of hard with little kiddos…my husband graciously offered to stay home from work…my first response was…I can do this on my own…not sure how, but I would figure it out….he insisted…so he is off running around with Katelyn and Easton…and I am trying to rest a bit. When he gets back I will suck it up and accept whatever help is offered…as hard as it may be for me. So…if I accept help…just know it was a tough decision for me and I will probably feel bad…just not sure why.
You are not alone! It is often tough for us Mommas to accept help, but I want to offer some words of encouragement that have meant a lot to me:
ReplyDeleteWhen we don't accept an offer of help from another, we deny them the opportunity to be a blessing - the same kind of opportunity that means so much to us when, like you said, we spend so much time thinking about how to bless others. Saying yes and accepting help means we get to help someone else grow!
This advice has truly helped me to work harder in finding ways for others to be involved when they ask how they can help, or to stifle my gut reaction and instead say 'yes' to an offer, even if it would be easier for me to do it myself.
You and I can be a blessing to others by simply saying 'yes' - it seems so small, but it communicates great value; the same kind of value we wish to communicate when we make offers of help ourselves!
P.S. Hope your back is feeling better!