You may not realize it, but you and I are fairly dependent on one word. Help. Hel-l-l-l-lp-p-p-p-p-p-p! Hep me. Help desk. May I help you? Heaven help us. Can’t help it. Pitch in and help. While the word help is common in our language, some of us are more reticent to use the word entirely until we are pressed into desperation. Well, at least I am. What is there about this four-letter word that almost feels offensive at times?
For me, my do-it-myself nature can get in the way, or sometimes I feel I’ll be too much of a bother to others if I ask for their help. Or if some basic repairs are costly, I see if I can fix things myself. In the past few days, I’ve squared off with pride and stress in needing help with a number of discombobulated situations.
Stressed by Everyday Life
In one nail-biting scenario, my aging desktop computer was eating my files. All my 10+ hours of 2017 tax records. Notes from my aunt’s bunion surgery. (Uh. Say what?! Just checking to see if you are still with me.) Everything. Help. Hel-l-l-l-lp-p-p-p-p-p-p! Hep me.
Cue up the dramatic music. In trying not to panic about my computer woes, I took a break and ran an errand Tuesday. Lost in my pensive thoughts, I paused at a stoplight and looked up literally, at America’s mountain, Pikes Peak—all 14,115 feet of her majestic grandeur seemed to be steadily eyeing me. Instantly, the words of Psalm 121:1-2 came to mind: “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”
Helpful vs. Your Helper
While live chats, technical support, and the helping hands of our family and friends are helpful, there really is only one Helper. “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul” (Psalm 54:4). “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield” (Psalm 33:20). One of my helps this week showed up in the kindness of the computer technicians. They discovered my hard drive and external hard drive were both wigging out and failing. So they quickly replaced the hard drive and were able to save all my data. Hello, taxes.
Are you overwhelmed? Frustrated? Anxious? Sad? Discouraged? Look up. Your ultimate help comes from your Creator. The One who knows every cent listed on your tax forms. The One who made heaven and earth and spectacular mountains to pastureland streams. The One who even knows all about bunions.







Excellent words. When it is all said and done, the Lord is the one who provides, sustains, and keeps us afloat. We forget that at times and just jump right in, feeling we must take on everything in our own power, without even considering directing that to Him. How foolish- when will we ever learn!!!!
So true, Carol. Our Helper is so patient and always ready to help even if we try and try to keep ourselves afloat.
HELP!!! How many times a day do I call out to God for help?!?
Thanks for this awesome post!!!
Joli, good for you in recognizing you can’t do it all on your own. I love how our God never tires of our turning to Him. He is so eager to make our paths straight even when we’ve been going in circles.
Excellent reminder, Beth, and I hope you got the computer woes fixed. I thought your 4-letter word would be BEND, but help’s another good one
Well, bend is right up there, Nancy. 🙂 And, yes, a new computer hard drive and need for a new external hard drive. Quicken and Apple both helped me recover my lost tax data. Whew!