Girlfriends in God - May 31, 2007
Help Me!
Today’s Truth
“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
Friend to Friend
With summer break fast approaching and piles of commitments to tackle before it comes…I’m absolutely sweating bullets! I ask you…where do my days go? How in the world am I supposed to get all of these things done? Who signed me up for this???????
Have you been there? Are you with me in the trenches right now? Oh, how I am encouraged to know that I don’t have to depend on my own strength or abilities to scale this huge mountain called life and this huge abyss called my calendar. The apostle Paul was in a jail cell when he penned this fortifying verse:
“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
Friend, I’m not sure about you, but with all of this crazy-schedule, end-of-school-year, mid-baseball/tennis lesson life-stuff…I sometimes feel like I’m a prisoner, too! A prisoner to my task list. A prisoner to the expectations placed upon me by others. A prisoner to the clock. A prisoner to a swimsuit – yikes! A prisoner to those who need me. A prisoner to my own expectations. (I could seriously lament here for quite sometime…but I will spare you.)
So, back to the strength thing: not one of us is able to effectively bear the burdens of life alone. Trust me on this one…there are so many days that I try! Have you ever been too busy to pray? Have you ever made time for everything and everyone, except our Savior? How is it that this is such an easy thing for us to do? Lord, have mercy. Help me!
A few years back, as I was preparing to lead worship for a women’s conference, the LORD inspired me to pen the following song. It is a simple lyric. It won’t win any songwriting awards or accolades. The content of this song is my daily prayer. It is based upon the mission we have as Christ-following women.
Help Me
Words and Music by Gwen Smith
I am so many things to so many people
Constantly on the go
A daughter, a mother, a wife and friend
I need You to draw me close
Lord, I want to be a woman who honors You
I want to be Your hands in all I do
Help me
Help me be that woman
As I look to see Your face
Help me show Your loving kindness
Guide me to know and choose Your ways
Help me nurture my sweet children
I want to be a faithful wife
Let me reach out with compassion
Help me
Oh Lord, help me
Praise you with my life
In whatever I do and in what I say
I want Your love to show
At work, with friends, at church and home
Help me display Your hope
Lord, I want to be a woman that honors You
I want to be Your hands in all I do
Straight up – the women at that conference embraced this song as if it should win awards. Why? Because each woman identified with it. Because this lyric is our heart’s cry. It’s our battle cry! It surely is mine. With God’s help, we can do anything!! As he delivered the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us to:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
The Bible is clear. Jesus longs for you to find rest and strength in Him. Join me in asking Him for help today.
Let’s pray
Lord Jesus, help me. Help me be the woman you desire me to be. Help me to continually come to receive your strength to fuel all that I attempt to accomplish for you. You are mighty. You are my strength. Help me praise you with my life.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Now it’s your turn
- Stop for a moment to read Philippians chapter 4. (It is a short chapter...only 23 verses.)
- Reflect on what you need God’s help with today…then pray specifically for those things.
- Do you have a friend who is struggling? How can you reach out with compassion to her today?
More from the Girls
Well, if you were one of my personal girlfriends, I’d invite you over to my house. Then as we shared a hot cup of dark coffee I’d go over to my piano and sing, “Help Me” to you…but, as it is…there are over 23,000 GiGs and there is no way that you could all fit in my living room. ;) So – I’ve done the next best thing. I’ve made the song downloadable for only 99 cents! I’ve never recorded “Help Me” in the studio, but I have a less-than-perfect LIVE version of the song that I am temporarily make available to my GiGs. Hope you get it and sing along with me in your car or on your iPod as we task together in His strength. Here’s the link: http://www.myspace.com/gwensmithmusic.
