Hope & Self-Help

It's about not helping yourself.

May 09, 2024

Hope Matters

*deep sigh* The idea of self-help is something I've mulled over for about two years now, maybe more. We buy books telling us how to help ourselves; we watch videos, listen to podcasts, buy calendars with instructions, etc. However, at the other end of all these methods is…you guessed it. A person.

So, my question is…

Are we truly helping ourselves? Furthermore, can we?

Hope Buddies, I submit that self-help does not exist. Just because I read the book and put some things into action doesn’t mean I did it in absence of another person. If I watch a video, it took at least one person to post it. Sometimes, two or more. We can say we accomplished something ourselves, but is that true? Who else helped?

Let’s go a little deeper, shall we? Even as I drink this cup of coffee, I realize, although I ground the beans and poured hot water over them, I couldn’t have this lovely cup of coffee without others. There are several people and entities who helped me enjoy it:

People who made the grinder
People who picked and dried the beans
People who roasted and packaged the beans
People who bottled my water
People who made the mug from which I’m drinking

This list could go on. Yes, I made myself this cup of coffee. However, I sit in gratitude for those who spent their time making sure I could fully enjoy it.

A couple of months ago I shared a hopeletter about community and how much better off we are for having one. There are some people who believe the opposite and try to do everything alone, not realizing they do nothing alone. How sad for them. I can’t imagine the life I would have if no one ever helped or came alongside me. Also, how sucky is it to not have at least one person to bounce ideas off or tell you you’re being unreasonable? These are the people who hold you in the road.

As a Believer, I know I’m never alone, even if I had no one. So, I not only thank God for always being there for me and listening to the foolishness I can spout sometimes but also for the people He’s sent me to hold me in the road. It is my fervent prayer that, daily, I can be this person for others and represent God well in the earth.

Reflection

Alright, y’all, it’s time. Think about the tiniest thing you do on a daily basis. Think about who it took to make that happen. Reflect on the spaces you were created to occupy in this world. How are you helping someone else? What does it feel like when you do?

Challenge

Focus intently on the things you do that matter. Give yourself to them in the moment they are happening. Whether it’s positive or negative, what you do and say matters. Use your powers for good. Ask God to help you know what it is you should be doing in the moment you’re doing it. Then, do it. Don’t hesitate. Sometimes, the difference between another’s success or failure is you being obedient to that still, small voice. Be conscious that you’re changing the world one day, one life at a time with your words and actions.

Hope Buddies, we were not made to live this life alone. That’s why God gave us people. He gave me you to read these words. I appreciate you and hope you come back again and again.

Hope in settling into and living out the idea of community. ☕️

Coffee Matters

Disclaimer: I did not realize how loud the grinder was until I got ready to load the video. 🤦🏾‍♀️ Happy watching (at least)! 🤭

How are you helping others? What does it feel like when you do?