Sometimes Courage Means Asking For Help

PHOTO CAPTION: Life is better when you have friends and family to go through the challenges and celebrations with you.

This blog is a repost of a blog I wrote in 2020, shortly after my brother passed away. I am in a new season now, yet it’s not without challenges and battles. My mom has been in the hospital this past month and my sister, brother and I are facing new challenges. I found that I could relate again to the need for courage and knowing that God has these circumstances under his control. Although this is a repost, I hope you too, can find courage as you read knowing at least that others also struggle with feeling brave when faced with life situations beyond their control.

Have you ever felt silly asking for help? Maybe, like me, you’ve thought, “I should be able to figure this out for myself,” or maybe you just didn’t want to bother anyone else. I know I’ve had such moments. 

Other times the task you’ve been given seems overwhelming, beyond your comfort zone and you just want to put it off or forget it entirely. There are a few tasks that even make us quiver with fright. I wonder if that’s how Gideon felt?

When the angel first greeted Gideon with his assignment, he said, “Mighty warrior, the Lord is with you.” (NIrV)

If God came to me with that kind of greeting, I think I would have looked around to see who else was there. Who else was He talking to?
“Who me, Lord? Are you talking to me? I’m sure you were thinking of someone else.” I think Gideon felt that way too. Still he listened and He told God his fears, he asked for a sign. He asked for help from God and others. God was patient with Gideon and finally with God’s amazing help and plan, Gideon rose to the occasion and went out to defeat the Midianites. Of course it wasn’t Gideon’s strength or amazing battle skills that made the difference, it was God! Gideon was simply the man that God used to carry out His plan.

Like Gideon, when God gives me a task that seems too BIG for me, I can ask for help. I can ask for help by going to God in prayer and I can ask others around me for help too. Maybe like Gideon, God will ask me to reduce my army. Still, I need not enter the battle completely alone. With God’s amazing power and help, I can face any battle that comes my way. 

So before I hit the panic button, before I decline the job because it’s too BIG and well, I’m just not qualified; maybe I should ask for a little help – from God and from others. Sometimes courage means stopping to ask sooner rather than later especially from God. God never asks us to face the battle alone. He always goes with us and before us. He surrounds us with His love and strength. Need some courage? Try asking because courage comes when we dare to ask!

This last week, I needed a lot of courage as my family prepared for a Memorial for a close family member. We worked together, asked each other for help and relied on God’s strength to carry us through and He was there for us. Was it easy? No! Yet I felt God’s presence with us through the entire time. This week I have other challenges to face and I really don’t want to face them yet. I would love to hide for a little while, but I know God will walk with me through whatever I face this week. Does that mean that I am not afraid? Not in the least! I do feel flutterings of fear as I look at the future, but I also know that the future too is in God’s hands. I can trust Him to lead me through this moment, today, tomorrow and on into the future that He has for me whatever that might be.

Are you afraid? Maybe hiding somewhere? Ask and see what God will do – after all, it’s not about your strength or ability, but rather about Him. He can do amazing things as you simply trust and follow His plan.

PARENT OR GRANDPARENT PRAYER:
Father God,
I have quite a few things on my plate right now and frankly, I don’t think I’m quite ready. Like Gideon, I want to hide. I don’t feel courageous or ready to face what is coming my way. I’m tired of the battles I face and I just want to hide. Yet, I realize that you didn’t call me to hide, but you called me to be courageous. I can’t fight these battles on my own,I need you. I need your help to fight my enemies; enemies of discouragement, lack of trust, unkindness and oh so many other things. I am crouching in the shadows thinking, “What are you doing? What makes you think you can make a difference? You’re not talented enough or qualified to do this. You’re not relevant any more. Who me God? Me – brave warrior? I don’t think so!” But I’m also trusting you. I can’t fight the battles in my own strength, but you can. I’m not relevant, but you are. I’m not tech savvy, but yes, Lord, even in this you know the way to go. You will help me respond kindly. You will help me know which way to go. You will help me to love and to listen. Give me wisdom, ability, strength and most of all your amazing love to share with the world. May my children also learn to place their confidence in you. May they know that when you give them a job, you also equip them to do that job just like you equipped Gideon. Help them to know that it’s not in their own strength or ability where the victory lies, but rather in listening, obeying and trusting in you. Make us brave and courageous, Lord, even when we feel afraid. Amen

HOW TO ASK FOR HELP

• Teach your children ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. These courteous words make asking for help so much better.
  
  • Help your kids know whom to approach for help – a parent, teacher, older sibling, grandparent, a cashier in a store or a policeman. Who are safe people to ask for help?
    
    • How should they ask for help? If your child needs help tying a shoe, etc.; they can wait patiently – raise their hand in class or touch your shoulder or hand to get your attention, but it is okay to loudly scream, yell and cry in an emergency.
      
      • HOW TO ASK FOR HELP
        
      • Teach your kids that it’s always a good time to pray – even in an emergency, it’s okay while they are screaming to also say, “Jesus, help me!”
        
        • FOR ADULTS:
          
        • Make your requests reasonable.Find out what others can provide and be thankful for whatever help is available.
          
        • Don’t try to wade through everything on your own if you truly do need help, but also be careful not to take advantage of those who do help you.
          
        • Make helping a team effort – remember the old adage, “Many hands make light work”?
          • Reciprocate when you can and help someone else.

Kid’s Section

Gideon’s Teeny, Tiny Army – Judges 6 & 7
Our story is about a hero named Gideon. Gideon did what God asked him to do even though he was afraid. The Midianites were mean to God’s people. They were so mean that God’s people were hiding from them. Even Gideon was hiding. (Pretend to hide behind hands.) One day, God sent an angel to Gideon. The angel said, “God is with you, brave soldier!”

God wanted Gideon to go fight the Midianites, but Gideon was afraid. God said, “I will be with you.” Still Gideon was afraid. He asked God to show him that He would help him and God did. Finally Gideon knew that it really was God asking him to fight the Midianites. Gideon called men from all over Israel to join His army. Thousands of men came, but God said, “Gideon, you have too many men! Send some home.” So Gideon did! He did exactly what God told him to do, until he only had 300 men left. He was still afraid. He wasn’t sure that he was a brave soldier at all! He wasn’t sure his teeny, tiny army could win against the Midianites.

God told him to sneak down to the enemy camp and listen. Gideon did. Even the Midianite’ soldiers knew that God was on Gideon’s side. Then Gideon knew that God would help him to be brave and do what He wanted him to do.Gideon told his men, “God will help us win.” Gideon’s teeny, tiny army went into battle with a torch, a trumpet and an empty jar. A torch, a trumpet and an empty jar? Yes, a torch, a trumpet and an empty jar, because that is what God told them to do.

Gideon divided his army into three groups. Each man carried his torch with a jar over it and a horn. They surrounded the enemy camp. When Gideon gave the signal, they blew their trumpets, broke the jars and shouted, “For the Lord and for Gideon!” Guess what happened? When the enemy army heard the trumpets, the shouting and saw the light from the torches, they were so afraid they started fighting each other and running away. Gideon and his army defeated the Midianites because God was with them. They had courage because God was with them. Gideon was a brave soldier, not because he wasn’t afraid, but because he trusted and did what God asked him to do.

God is God in heaven above and on earth below, He can do the impossible. He rules over all and He can help us be brave. God helped Gideon fight the Midianites and God will help you too. You can be brave and trust God’s plan no matter what comes your way. You can ask others to join you too, just like Gideon did. With his teeny, tiny army, God’s plan and God’s help, Gideon defeated the enemy and so can you.You can be brave because God is with you.

MEMORIZE: Josh 2:11 NIV – (Hands like holding a book.)
For the Lord your God – (Point up.)
Is God in heaven above – (Reach up as high.)
And on earth below – (Reach down low.)

KNOW: God was with Gideon. God will be with me. He has a plan ready for us.
TALK ABOUT: Being brave. Courage is doing what God asks you to do even when you’re afraid
ASK: Who can help you? God can help me. He rules in heaven above and on earth.
AND DO: Ask for help. Do what God wants me to do and trust His plan.

FUN THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR CHILD:

• Talk to God throughout the day. Make it a habit.
  
• Do a shadow walk outside. See if you can step on or catch each other’s   shadows. Talk about how God is with us all the time – He sticks closer than our shadows. 
  
• PRAYER:
  Dear God,
  Help me to be brave and courageous even when I’m afraid. I know that you will be with me wherever I go and that you will help me. I trust your plan for me. Amen