Two-minute read.
“Hey, what ya doing?” the text read.
Not thinking much of it, her busy friend didn’t respond. A few days later, when he ran into the lady, she told him about the hard week she had had.
“Why didn’t you reach out?” He asked.
“I did, I texted you.”
Looking at his phone, he saw the text he had ignored.
“You mean the one that sounds like every other text? How would I know you need help from that?”
The TikTok video went on to discuss how it only takes 8 minutes for someone to feel not alone in their situation. If the woman had told him she needed help, he would have responded differently, no matter how busy. Watching the scene, I couldn’t help but think of the friend who posted it, and I commented, “I always have 8 minutes for you.”
When we need help, we need to ask for it directly. Sending indirect messages like the woman’s text doesn’t tell the whole story. People don’t know your thoughts, only what you tell them. When you need help, ask. Turning to the Savior, He wants to hear your problems and help you solve them. Praying often prompts us to act, and many times we must ask others for help.
Personally, I struggle asking for help. Not wanting to bother anyone, I try to do whatever myself. But I’ve learned over the years that God made us for community because He never intended for us to face our battles alone. And people want to help us. When we don’t ask for assistance, we take away another’s blessing.
“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
Proverbs 11:25
Submitting our lives to Christ begins when we ask for His forgiveness, saving us from our sinful nature. Without Jesus’ help, we can’t experience new life, free from our past sins. The more we live our lives for the Savior, the quicker we will become at knowing when we need help and asking for it. If you need someone to give you 8 minutes of their time, tell them that. Instead of sending an ambiguous text, send one with four words: I need your help. Only when we tell them directly will they know exactly what we need.
Know when you need support. Ask God and others for help when you need it. Created for community, we live fully when we share our lives with others.
Journal Questions:
How easily do you ask for help?
When did you need help and not ask for it? What happened?
How can you become better at asking for support when you need it?
Friendship Application:
Think about an area you need support with and ask for help.
