Do you ever struggle to ask for help? Do you often feel the weight of the world on your shoulders? Kids, dishes, emails, laundry, groceries…your to-do list seems endless. Maybe you think, “It’s all up to me. When am I supposed to get this all done?”

I get it. I had one of those moments recently. 

When I Didn’t Ask for Help

I was unloading my kids from the minivan. There was snow on the ground. My one-year old took off his shoes and socks in his carseat. I had six bags of groceries in my hand. My three-year old was eating dirty snow. I had to get the family up the two-story, snow-packed staircase with all this chaos in tow.

Then a neighbor walked by. “Do you need help?” he asked, as I was trying to balance my one-year old between the ripping-open bag full of frozen vegetables.

I looked up at him and realized I must have appeared completely disheveled and desperate.

My first instinct was to say, “No, I got it!”

Why We Don’t Ask For Help

Sometimes it hurts my pride when someone offers help. Do they think I can’t handle the responsibilities of my life on my own? Don’t they know I’m a mom and we have multitasking superpowers?

But as I assessed my situation, I couldn’t deny it: I needed help. 

My neighbor graciously picked up the bags of groceries and carried them up for me while I corralled my kids.

It was a small act of kindness that humbled me and reminded me of this simple truth: we’re not meant to do life alone.

Why We Need to Ask for Help

In one of his letters to the church, the apostle Paul urges believers to “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2).

When I read this verse, my first instinct is to think about how many of my friends’ and family’s burdens I already do carry. 

Can you relate? Do you feel like you’re often taking care of everyone else? Honestly, you’re probably nailing this verse in your everyday life.

But have you thought about it the other way?

Are you allowing others to help carry your burdens?

Are you willing to ask for help when you need it?

Would you consider texting a friend the next time you need a break, instead of simply plowing through your responsibilities with your head down?

When we allow others to help us, we’re allowing them to fulfill the law of Christ!

In other words, if we never let anyone help us, we could be robbing others of the chance to obey Christ. 

What You Can Do

Friend, I know it can be hard to ask for help. It’s vulnerable and humble—two attributes that don’t come easily to most of us. But when we allow others to care for us when we need it, we experience the presence of God among us. We feel less alone. We feel a renewed sense of connection and confidence.

God often uses our friends and family to demonstrate his love for us in our daily lives. Are you letting yourself receive that love?

Wife Step: Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by the demands of your day, take a minute to pause. Write everything down. Now, look at your list. Pick something that could be made easier or more enjoyable by asking someone to help you.​

Bailey Richardson is the wife of a Paul Bunyan look-a-like, the mama of a growing little family, and a woman on the wild adventure of pursuing Jesus. She lives in a small lake town in Minnesota where her family is highly involved in their local church and Young Life, a global non-profit youth ministry. A self-proclaimed “recovering perfectionist,” Bailey loves writing for and connecting with women who want to more deeply experience the grace, freedom, and abundance that comes from following Jesus. You can find her at baileymrichardson.com or on Instagram @baileymrichardson.