Self Help Might Actually Be Hurting You

“I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!” Lamentations 3:24

I recently read somewhere that “self help” books are in a category on Amazon containing approximately 70,000 different titles. This is, of course, not to mention all the other media out there in the self-help genre: podcasts, courses, video series, conferences. Don’t get me wrong: there is truth to be found in many self help books. But there comes a time when you have to be honest with yourself and admit that as long as you’re depending on yourself, self-help is almost always going to fall short of providing you with the kind of lasting change you’re really searching for. Where then can you turn? Throughout the scriptures, the phrase “But God” appears over 32 different times. This signifies the power of divine intervention even in the middle of human limitation. This truth isn’t limited to some select few. No, it’s available for your life today! “But God” moments can transform any situation. Jeremiah reminds us that even in moments of waiting and especially when things don’t necessarily make sense, we can find these “But God…” moments by looking up to Him in hope. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 121:1-3, “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.” If you find yourself weary from waiting today, wondering if God will ever intervene, look up to him in hope and recognize that your hope is not in vain.