God, Will You Help Me Please?

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. - Matthew 11:29-30

A couple of years ago when I was visiting my parents, my little sister Danielle came by the house and brought the five kids she was nannying with her. (Yes, I said five kids. And did I mention they were all under the age of 10 at the time? Clearly my sister is a special kind of human.)

Anyways, when Danielle came by with the kids, they all ran into the kitchen where she proceeded to make them mac and cheese for lunch. While she was cooking, she told them they could each go to the fridge and grab a bottle of water to drink. So they all followed her instructions.

Once lunch was served, Sadie*, the fourth of the five children, picked up her water bottle and got out of her chair. At first I wasn’t sure what she was doing, but it didn’t take long for me to find out. She walked up to me with her water bottle in hand and said in her adorable, high-pitched voice, “Miss Kristen, will you open this for me please?”

I couldn’t help but smile and happily offered to help her. I opened the water bottle with one quick twist of my hand, gave her back the drink, and she walked away to finish her lunch.

It wasn’t until she walked away that it hit me what a sweet and powerful example this child just set for me. There she was with a predicament in front of her. She needed her water bottle opened. And instead of struggling to get it open on her own or getting frustrated with how tricky the lid was to unscrew, she just walked straight up to me and asked for my assistance. She didn't waste time trying to do something in her own strength when she knew it would be much easier if she just asked for help. What trust. What humility. What an example.

She made me realize in this simple moment how I wish I had her approach more often when it came to my relationship with the Lord. So often I struggle to do things in my own power, to try to figure things out by myself, only to get frustrated, defeated, and annoyed when I can’t make things happen in my own strength.

What would happen if I just skipped the struggling part and went straight to the Father for help? What if I had that kind of child-like trust in Him where I knew going straight to Him to get my needs met would always be a better option than trying to do everything by myself? What if I practiced the same kind of humility that Sadie did and ran to the feet of Jesus for every little thing?

It honestly amazes me what God can teach us through children. Their simple ways of living life are often such great reminders of how we should relate to our Heavenly Father. After all, we’re told in Scripture to have a child-like faith, and I think that includes having a child-like trust and dependency on the Lord, just like Sadie exemplified for me that day.

So if you’re like me, and you find yourself consistently struggling with trying to do everything in your own power and your own strength, maybe it’s time we pay attention to children like Sadie. Maybe it’s time we admit we’re not self-sufficient. Maybe it’s time we acknowledge our dependence. Maybe it’s time we ask God for help.

And just like I was more than happy to open that water bottle for little Sadie, I have no doubt that our Father in heaven is more than happy to help us when we ask Him to.

*Name has been changed for privacy purposes.