Does "The Lord help those who help themselves?"

There's something off about this phrase.

This phrase never seemed quite right to me:

The Lord helps those who help themselves.

And yet it also doesn't not (double negative on purpose) make sense.

If you're David and you pray to overcome your enemies, but don't go to battle how can you expect victory?

Or if you are Hanna from the Bible, and you want a child but refused to have sex with your husband how can you expect God to answer your prayers?

On the other hand, there are many people who are helping themselves that it's hard to see the Lord helping.

David helping himself with Bathsheba.

The woman that Solomon judged for helping herself to her neighbor's son.

In a modern world it's easy to look around and see corruption. (The rich helping themselves towards the treasuries of the people springs immediately to mind.)

With God, I don't believe the answer is a compromise or balance between the two. We need to come at the problem from the underneath; we need to understand what the answer is built on.

I will explain it in three points:

1. In order to receive God's blessing, we need to position ourselves to receive that blessing.

If you want to publish a book sit down and write. If pray to support your family go to work. If you pray for victory then go to battle. If a couple prays for a child then sleep together often. If you pray for the success of your kingdom then govern well. Whatever this might be for you.

2. Start with a prayer.

I love this illustration from The Magician's Nephew. (If you are unfamiliar with this story you should know that Aslan is analogous to Jesus.)

The valley in which they had come down was in the heart of the mountains; snowy heights, one of them looking rose-red in the reflections of the sunset, towered above them.

“I am hungry,” said Digory.

“Well, tuck in,” said Fledge, taking a big mouthful of grass.

Then he raised his head, still chewing and with bits of grass sticking out on each side of his mouth like whiskers, and said, “Come on, you two. Don’t be shy. There’s plenty for us all.”

“But we can’t eat grass,” said Digory.

“H’m, h’m,” said Fledge, speaking with his mouth full. “Well — h’m — don’t know quite what you’ll do then. Very good grass too.”

"Well, I do think someone might have arranged about our meals,” said Digory.

“I’m sure Aslan would have, if you’d asked him,” said Fledge.

“Wouldn’t he know without being asked?” said Polly.

“I’ve no doubt he would,” said the Horse (still with his mouth full). “But I’ve a sort of idea he likes to be asked."

Or as Jesus words are recorded in Luke 11:

"What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent?"

Now a quick moment of peace about prayer:

Asking Jesus through prayer looks different for many people. For some it is crying on their knees for hours, for some it is a single minute with face lifted.

Start by asking, but also remember that Jesus knows our hearts better than we do. Which is why he sometimes comes with blessings we never ask for.

3. We must accept a blessing when it comes.

Jesus' disciples— in their moment of despair— put themselves into a position to catch fish. Who knows why. It was what they knew, so maybe it was soothing. Maybe they were hungry. Maybe they loved being on the water. Maybe they just needed something to do. Maybe they were facing the thought that Jesus had not been who they thought he was, and were making an attempt at returning to their lives before they met him.

Regardless of why they were there, they caught nothing.

Jesus came along and called from the shore, "Toss your nets over the other side of the boat."

They didn't know it was Jesus at the time. They could have grumbled and refused. But they did what he said, and caught so many fish the nets started to tear.

It’s good to remember

You must remember that God is with you and for you. He desires for your heart to be fulfilled, your needs met, and for your eternal glory.

But he likes to be asked.

He likes it when you put yourself in a position to receive his blessing.

He likes it when you accept his blessing when he gives it to you.

🏵