If You Really Want Help

Jeremiah 42:2
“And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)”

“Pastor Domelle, can you help me with something?” This is a question I hear on a weekly basis. Sadly, there are some who ask this question who really don’t want to get help. They ask this question just to inform me of what they want to do instead of truly desiring help. The sad part about those who truly don’t want help is that they desperately need help, but they won’t come to get help until they needlessly hit the bottom of life.

The remnant that were left in Israel did the same thing to Jeremiah. In the verse above, they came to him for help, but we find out later that they really didn’t want help. What they wanted was for him to justify what they already wanted to do, but Jeremiah, being a true man of God, told them what God wanted them to hear instead. There are several things you must do if you truly want to get help for your problems.

First, be humble. These people feigned humility in the verse above, but we discover that they were filled with pride in Jeremiah 43:2. You will never get help for your problems until you stop worrying about what everyone thinks. If you won’t get help because of what everyone will think about you, your pride will keep you from getting the help you need.

Second, go ask for help. These people went to Jeremiah to ask for his help. You can’t get help on your terms. You must be willing to ask your pastor for help if he is going to be able to help you. Likely, he will not come to you, but you must go to him if you want his help.

Third, if you want help, pray. The reality is that you cannot get help without God. Even though your pastor will give you advice, you are going to have to ask God for help with your situation. Stop griping about how you want your situation in life to change, and start praying and asking God to help you with your situation.

Fourth, be willing to accept help. You can’t get help if you don’t want help. My friend, if you don’t need help, why is your life such a mess? If you have everything figured out, why is your life still in such disarray? You must be willing to accept the help given if you are going to get help.

Fifth, be willing to do whatever it takes to get help. If you are willing to get help, you will follow the advice given. Just because you didn’t argue with your pastor about what he has told you to do doesn’t mean you have followed his advice. You can’t get help if you have boundaries on what you will do to change your situation. Humility and a sincere desire to change will remove all boundaries to get help.

Sixth, don’t go in with your mind already made up. Don’t waste your time and the pastor’s time by having your mind made up when you go in for help. You must put all your excuses away and be a blank sheet of paper to do what you are advised to do if you truly want to get help. Going in and informing the pastor is not getting help. You must swallow your pride and realize you have made a mess of your life in order to get help. It is not other people who have caused your mess; it is you. When you stop thinking you know everything and are willing to do whatever it takes to change your situation is when you can truly get help.

Author: Allen Domelle