Do It Your Self Help vs. God's Help
You can plan which way to go, but you can also ask for directions: Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”
The do it yourself approach to life includes some useful lessons, but the Bible says you don’t have to do it all yourself.
Here's an Overview of Self-Help vs. God's Help:
Self-help teaches how to change your thoughts and actions based on the wisdom of man. The Bible offers wisdom from God, who invites you to reason with Him and trust His guidance.Self-help teaches how to create mental habits by repeating positive affirmations. But, the results depend on your ability to do it yourself. Prayer can be a type of affirmation. The difference is you talk to God, not to yourself. God offers to renew your mind, guide your thoughts, and support you.
Self-help says your choices can be managed through awareness, and reworking your thoughts. It’s a process that depends on you to control your mind. In the Bible, it says says the Spirit of God is available to help you, remind you what God says, and align your thoughts with His will.
Self-help teaches about positive thinking to overcome fear and anxiety. Controlling those emotions is based on your effort to refocus on good things. The Bible says God will replace fear with trust, as you rely on Him. You don’t have to do it yourself, because you depend on God’s ability, not your own.
Self-help teaches methods like goal-setting, mindfulness, and self-talk to help develop inner strength. But, the outcome depends on your mental strength. The Bible says God gives power to the weak, and increases the strength of those who have none. He is a source of strength beyond your own capacity.
Self-help says meditation and self-compassion can help you find peace, which is built on your effort to make it happen. The Bible says peace and hope come from trusting God and His promises. God is the anchor of your soul. You can depend on His faithfulness, and not try to do it by yourself.
Self-help teaches forgiveness through methods of letting go, and reforming your thoughts, using a process of repetitive self-talk to change your mind. The Bible says God is merciful and forgiving to those who don’t deserve it, and we should do the same. If you forgive others, then you will be forgiven.
Self-help teaches about self-reliance, the pursuit of self-recognition, and lifting up your ego as a way to help strengthen your confidence. The Bible says humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. Humility opens the way to personal growth and a close relationship with God.
Self-help says your value is based on accepting yourself, positive thinking, personal achievement, and self-worth is cultivated through repetitive self-talk. In the Bible, your self-worth is rooted in God’s love for you, not just talking to yourself, or some measure of performance.
