A few weeks ago, writer Anne Lamott shared a story in a Facebook post that recounted a time when her son was a young boy sitting at a table with her and a group of friends. While they were talking the squirming youngster got his head stuck in the spokes of the chair. After a brief struggle, he panicked and blurted out, “I need help with me!”
Me too, buddy.
Who hasn’t gotten in a similar jam? Children are quick to realize when they are in over their heads. Most kids readily ask for help and expect to receive it. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:2-3).
The problem is, the older we get, the more reluctant we are to ask for help. We think we should be able to bail ourselves out of trouble or we scold ourselves for getting in a pinch in the first place. But the reality is, life leads us into tight spots. A time will come when we find ourself with our head stuck in a chair. It might come in the form of financial problems, unemployment, addiction, divorce, poor health, family strife, depression, anxiety, or any number of maladies common to man. The sinfully self-reliant among us (I’m talking to myself here) will try everything possible to free ourselves until we collapse in defeat and reluctantly ask for help. The prideful among us (I’ve been here too) will deny their head is stuck in the chair and miserably continue with business as usual. The wise among us will cry out to God and say, “I need help with me.”
That’s how King David prayed.
Don’t believe me?
- “In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help” (Ps 18:6)
- “Oh LORD, let me not be put to shame; for I call upon you” (Ps 31:17a)
- “But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.” (Ps 31:22).
The Psalms are filled with honest and transparent prayers that came from the mouth of King David. The Psalms teach us that we don’t need to hold back in prayer. In fact, we shouldn’t. Our prayers don’t need to be eloquent, but they should be honest. Prayer begins with the faith of a child who says, “I need help with me.” Those five words uttered, cried, screamed, or whispered in faith is a prayer God is faithful to answer. It’s just five words. But those words will change our life.
