Opening Up

A friend was telling me the other day about his dad who had major health problems lately. He said it’s almost like the roles have reversed and he often finds himself taking care of him, even going to his doctor’s appointments.  Most recently his dad has problems with balance. So my friend was extremely worried when his father called to tell him he was going up on the roof to put some tar around a leaky skylight. Dad is stubborn and often overestimates his own abilities, and underestimates his need for help.

How often is that our problem too? How often do we overestimate our own abilities, and underestimate our need for help? Often in life, we keep our problems and worries and concerns to ourselves. Often we’re too stubborn to ask for help – even when we need it.

God has created us to be in relationship with him. And, God has created us to be in relationship with others. Remember, when we ask for help from other people, most often they will feel needed and wanted. It lets them know that you trust them, and often it only deepens the relationship.

Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be open…”

Let us pray: Loving God, you alone know the full extent of the burdens and concerns we carry. You know our loneliness, our failures, our successes, and our deepest joys. We are grateful that you know us intimately and you love us still. Today we ask you to open our eyes to the people around us who are on this journey with us.  Help us to surrender our pride enough to reach out for help when we need it. Give us open hands to give help when others need it.  And grant us open hearts to trust them and to trust you. Amen.