Recall the story of the lame man lying by the pool of Bethesda. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He asked, “Do you wish to get well?” (John 5:6) In response the man whined, “I have no one to help me!” The guy obviously needed healing and wholeness. But due to his lame attitude, he never truly answered Jesus’ question. In reality, many people do not actually want to get up and walk.
Some of us know that we’re stuck, but we want somebody else to make headway for us. We want a third party to expedite our progress, figuratively carrying us to the pool.
I remember in early elementary school occasionally being so tired at night that I’d ask my dad to carry me up the stairs to bed. Could I have climbed those stairs myself? Definitely. Did my dad always carry me up the stairs? No! Occasionally he realized I was exhausted. But most often he recognized my laziness. So I’d pick myself up and trudge up those stairs, using my own muscles and self-discipline. The older I got, the fewer times I’d ask for a “ride”. There came a point when I was expected to take care of that myself, regardless of how I felt.
We begin our Christian lives weak and immature, requiring lots of instruction in the Scriptures to build our faith. We require assistance as we take our early, hesitating spiritual baby steps. But there comes a point (and this moment varies from person to person) when God expects us to metaphorically climb the stairs ourselves. It’s not normal or appropriate to remain immature, constantly depending on others.
Scripture illustrates it this way: When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things ( I Corinthians 13:11). And, His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3).
In other words, God has thoroughly provided everything we need to face our personal predicaments. But we choose whether or not to use those tools. Enlisting prayer support helps at times, but knowing Him, as He’s revealed in the Bible, equips us to live godly lives. Once enlightened and no longer infants, we can “walk by faith” rather than having to be carried around.
Like any loving parent, God wants His kids to grow up and mature. He equips us with the ability to learn His Word. And in this day and age there is no excuse for not reading, listening to, and meditating on Scripture. Access to countless online resources eliminates the need to visit a particular church or preacher in person. So the excuse “I have no one to help me” is invalid.
If you need resources for building your spiritual muscles, please ask. But the key is a willingness and determination to get up and walk!
