SELF-HELP IS NO HELP

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. Luke 9:24

There are many self-help books on the market, and many of these books are extremely useful. From these books we can learn how to draw, quilt, lose weight, start a business, have a successful relationship, learn a language, build strength and stamina, and many other things.

I admit to reading these types of books which have helped me immensely and have given me wonderful ideas. However, no self-help book can bring salvation to the soul. The Bible, which is the best self-help book of all times, can point us to salvation, but even the Bible cannot do the redemptive act.

Luke 9:23-24 in The Message reads as follows: “Then He (Jesus) told them what they could expect for themselves: ‘Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?’”

To receive salvation of the soul, we must lose ourselves to Christ. We yield to Him not only our sins, failures, and regrets, but our trust, hopes, ambitions, and dreams. We place Him above all others, including our spouse, friends, children, families, money, and successes.  You see, there is room only for one on our pedestal of worship, and that is Christ Jesus.

Read self-help books to learn different skills, but remember, if you become the master of all skills but your soul is lost, you gain nothing of any eternal value. The task of saving is found only in God’s grace. It is a gift we cannot earn or learn. We can only receive. The best self-help you can obtain is by losing the “self” on self-help. Christ-help is the only way to go.

Dear Savior, I yield my all to You today. Amen.