God Only Helps Those Who Help Themselves?

Is it true that God only helps those that help themselves? In Mark 8:2-9, we have the story of Jesus feeding the four thousand. In this passage, there is an important lesson showing us Jesus’ heart of compassion toward us even regarding things we ourselves could avoid or fix on our own:

Mark 8:2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

The multitude had pressed upon Jesus for three days, and He had compassion upon them because they were in a remote place, and there was nothing to eat. The disciples’ thinking was to send them away to find food wherever it was available, but that was not Jesus’ plan. After seating the crowd, Jesus takes a few loaves and fishes, and a miracle of provision takes place. There is an essential lesson in this passage that exposes a false assumption Christians often make regarding the basis on which God answers prayer.

Have you ever heard the suggestion that God expects us to take care of the little things in our life? The idea is that it is impious to ask God to intervene in something that we are capable of ourselves to take care of. I’ve heard ministers with a show of great piety show how offended they were at the suggestion that a person would “be so brazen” as to ask God to answer a prayer about mundane, everyday needs. “God expects you to take care of the little things; you shouldn’t bother him with things you can take care of on your own.” This thinking goes along with another idea that God (allegedly) won’t help you out of a situation or trouble that you get yourself into. Is that true? My thinking is this – is there any kind of trouble other than the trouble we get ourselves into? We got ourselves into sin, does God help us out of the sin condition? Yes, He does.

In v. 2 of our passage, Jesus has compassion on the multitude. Yes, He could have sent them away, but His compassion dictated that He himself do something to feed them, and a miracle was brought about as a result. What about you? Are you in a wilderness? Do you lack provision? Are you faint in the way? Read this passage and know the heart of God. In v. 8, we see that they all “ate and were filled.” Do you see that? Jesus didn’t just feed them; he fed them till they were filled. Can’t you see Him after the meal, reaching down to take a baby in His arms, sleepy and content with a full belly and being pleased that the baby was so content? God wants you to be full. The heart of God is to fill you to contentment. He places no premium on suffering or lack or emptiness in your life. Believe Him for a full measure in your situation today. Let Him show His compassion and fill you today.