There is a story of a father who watched his son struggle with trying to remove a boulder. It was way too heavy for him to do so. He grunted. He groaned. He tried to pick it up. He tried to push it. When he finally stood defeated his father asked him if he had tried everything. He said, “Yes.”  That’s when the father said, “No you haven’t. You haven’t asked me.”

Okay…so that may be a bit cheesy or even hokey. I will grant that. But it isn’t that far off either. There is ingrained in each one of us this “I-can-do-it-by-myself” attitude. Whether it is something as simple as moving a stone or something as monumental as a seemingly immovable mountain in life, we all struggle with showing weakness.

Whether with people, and especially with God, we tend to want to take the “bull by the horns” and show we are strong.

Paul speaks to that attitude in 2 Cor. 12: 9-10. He writes, “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am strong.”  It is not easy to admit I need help. Paul David Tripp wrote these words in New Morning Mercies:

Weakness is not the big danger to be avoided. What we need to avoid is the delusion of strength.

I’m convinced that we are afraid to admit our weakness. We don’t want others to perceive we are needy, we just can’t do something. We think there is more virtue in having this tough exterior and “can do” attitude, than saying, “I need help.” Sure, there are times we need to be strong; we need to not give up so easily. But we can also be so stubborn that we miss out on God’s grace gift of help.

Are you one of those who is afraid to show a weakness? Or to ask for help is a sign of weakness? Lay it aside. God never takes us on a journey where He leaves us to rely on our own strength and abilities. He always gives us the strength to accomplish what He has set before us…even if it means asking for an extra hand.

“Father, help me not to be so stubborn or foolish so as to think I need no one else, especially You.”