It’s a common human struggle, isn’t it? The desire to be self-sufficient, to not need anyone’s help. But let’s pause and ask ourselves, is it truly possible to navigate this journey of life without ever needing help?

I think in Christianity, this idea has hurt many saints.  The idea is that we needed Jesus to get saved, but then He set us up to not need Him so desperately any longer.

How often has someone looked at another person who is in a bad way and going through really difficult challenges and thought, “Man, I don’t want to be in their shoes?”  How many like myself before have thought, “I don’t want to need Jesus like that?”  “I want to be strong and have it all together.”  “I want to be able to stand before others and boast of my deep level of strong devotion and my strong self-discipline.”

How many of us have found ourselves in the trap of comparison? Looking at others who seem to have it all together and feel inadequate in comparison, If this resonates with you, know that you’re not alone in this struggle.

But also know that’s a life of running on a gerbil wheel, always striving but never seeming to get anywhere. The more a person tries not to need Jesus, the deeper in trouble they find themselves.  It is like falling into quicksand; the more you struggle, the deeper into it you go.

The truth is, I find myself needing Jesus more now than I did when I first came to Him. Salvation didn’t shield me from the challenges of the world, nor did it guarantee that everyone in my life would treat me as I hoped. But in these moments, I find comfort in knowing that I can still turn to Jesus for help.

When I got saved, I did not arrive home to find a brand new car, a brand new wardrobe, and the house of my dreams. Life was still going to unfold in all its many facets for me, and it still does. There are still things that come up in my life for which I need Jesus’ help.

Jesus did not save me and then say to me, “Okay, there you go. Now go handle it and make Me proud of what you can do.”  Jesus saved me to bring me into a real relationship with the Father and have access to help as needed.  This was why the Holy Spirit was given to me as such a precious gift!

If I think I have it all together, then I also lose sight of my need for Jesus and His strength.

2Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

I am not a super Christian. I am a human being like all others who need Jesus all the time. I need Him like an addict needs Him, like a homeless person needs Him, and like a criminal needs Him. I need Jesus! I need my relationship with Him to be alive and on fire. I need Him to be so real to me that I find myself talking with Him and hearing Him talk to me.  I never want to lose my sense of needing Him.  I never want to have it so together that I forget how much I need Him.  I want others to see me as someone who needed Jesus, and Jesus showed Himself faithful to me so that they, too, can find life, hope, joy, and peace in Him!  Help!  It’s not a dirty word.