There’s a lot of stereotypes about men. They hate shopping. They prefer birthday cards to have beer or football jokes (2 points for both). They never dress children well. And they never ever ask for directions. Okay, that last one might be a bit true.

It’s hard to ask for help – and it’s not just a male problem. It can be embarrassing, even a bit humiliating. And the harder the problem, the more difficult it can be. When we ask for help, we’re actively acknowledging our insufficiency.

Whether it’s that we’re not tall enough to put the jar onto the top shelf or admitting that maybe it is time to go and see a marriage counsellor, acknowledging our need for help leaves us feeling vulnerable. What if we’re mocked? What if there’s something wrong with us? Asking for help means admitting that what we are, what we can do and sometimes even who we are, isn’t enough.

Our society encourages this – self help, self esteem, self preservation, the list goes on. We’re self-focused and, when trouble arises, we find it harder and harder to ask for help. Heroes of Instagram don’t ask for help. We filter those moments out.

Christians aren’t immune from the temptation to pretend we don’t need help but we should find asking for help easier than anyone. Our faith is based around needing someone to do something for us that we cannot do for ourselves. We’re freed from the pretence of self sufficiency and free to ask for help from God and others as much as we want.

Asking for help invites others into our lives, fostering deep and meaningful friendships. Receiving help grows the much needed fruit of humility in our hearts. It’s good for our souls plus, we actually can do, with the help of others, what we couldn’t do before! It might sound like a cliche but asking for help isn’t weakness, it’s actually brave.

If that resonates with you, then we’d love to pray with you. Our prayer centre is open for your calls, 8am-8pm, Monday-Friday and until 12pm on Saturdays. Why not call us on 0300 561 0700?