Question 1

What causes me to feel helpless?

Accepted Answer

Nehemiah 5:5“We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others.”Lamentations 5:2-3Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. We are orphaned and fatherless. Our mothers are widowed.Circumstances beyond our control can make us feel helpless.Psalm 10:10Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.Psalm 107:12That is why he broke them with hard labor; they fell, and no one was there to help them.Ecclesiastes 4:1Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless.Oppression can sap our hope.Psalm 6:2Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.Psalm 38:17I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain.John 5:7“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”Physical weaknesses can prevent us from doing what most other people can do, making us feel helpless and hopeless.Ecclesiastes 4:10If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.Being alone can lead to feelings of isolation and despair.Psalm 69:2Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me.As problems mount, we may feel overwhelmed, as though we are sinking deeper and deeper into our troubles.Daniel 2:10-11The astrologers replied to the king, “No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.”High expectations can make us feel as though we will never be able to please others.Job 6:13“No, I am utterly helpless, without any chance of success.”Job lost everything. Deep grief and loss can leave us feeling helpless and without hope.Romans 7:18-19I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.Our sinful nature may make us doubt if we can ever please God.

Question 2

What does God say about those who are helpless?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 3:14The Lord comes forward to pronounce judgment on the elders and rulers of his people: “You have ruined Israel, my vineyard. Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.”Jeremiah 49:11“I will protect the orphans who remain among you. Your widows, too, can depend on me for help.”Zephaniah 3:19“I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away. I will give glory and fame to my former exiles, wherever they have been mocked and shamed.”The helpless are at the top of God’s priority list. God judges those who exploit the helpless. He is the ultimate defender and protector of the helpless, and he urges us to defend and help them, too.Matthew 7:9-11“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”Just as a child can depend on his or her parents, we can depend on our heavenly Father in our helplessness.Matthew 6:26“Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”God even watches over the sparrows. Surely he will watch over us, too!2 Corinthians 12:9-10Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.Our weaknesses and helplessness are hardly obstacles to God’s power. In fact, recognizing our own helplessness is the first step to allowing that power to work in us.

Question 3

What should I do when I feel helpless?

Accepted Answer

Hebrews 13:6So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”When feeling helpless, we can meditate on God’s limitless power and steadfast love, reminding ourselves that the Lord is far greater than the problems we face.Psalm 18:6In my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.1 John 5:14-15We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.When feeling helpless, ,we can pray confidently for God’s help.1 Peter 5:12I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.When feeling helpless, we should stay connected to other Christians and let them know how they can support us. We should not be too proud to ask for help.Deuteronomy 24:18“Always remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God redeemed you from your slavery.”When feeling helpless, we can reflect on past situations when we felt helpless but the Lord helped us. God’s track record in our lives can increase our confidence today and for the future.Judges 4:3Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help.Judges 6:6So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.Psalm 5:2Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you.Psalm 30:10Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.Psalm 38:22Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior.Psalm 39:12Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest—a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me.Psalm 40:13Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me.Psalm 70:5As for me, I am poor and needy; please hurry to my aid, O God. You are my helper and my savior; O Lord, do not delay.Psalm 77:1I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me!Psalm 79:9Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name.Psalm 88:13O Lord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day.Psalm 108:12Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless.1 Timothy 5:5Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help.When feeling helpless, we should speak honestly and humbly to God about how we feel. Humility is essential to prayer. When we ask God for his help, we are acknowledging our need for him and his desire to help. God will not help the proud.Genesis 18:14“Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”2 Chronicles 14:11Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God, “O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!”Psalm 10:14, 17The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans. . . . Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.Psalm 28:7The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.When we ask God for help and trust that he will help, we open the lifeline to the God who loves doing the impossible! If we rely on our own efforts alone to navigate our troubles, we will never see what God can do.2 Corinthians 12:10That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.When feeling helpless, we should look at the situation from God’s perspective. As long as we look through the eyes of helplessness, we will see only our helpless condition. When we look through the eyes of God, we will find hope.Isaiah 50:7-9Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame. He who gives me justice is near. Who will dare to bring charges against me now? Where are my accusers? Let them appear! See, the Sovereign Lord is on my side! Who will declare me guilty? All my enemies will be destroyed like old clothes that have been eaten by moths!Hebrews 13:6So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”When feeling helpless, we should confidently and courageously trust in God as our helper.1 Samuel 7:12Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”Psalm 63:7Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.When feeling helpless, we should rejoice as we remember how God has helped us in the past, assuring us of his presence and protection in the future. The One who walked with the saints of yesterday is here with us today and will be with us tomorrow.

Question 4

In what ways does God help me when I feel helpless?

Accepted Answer

2 Samuel 22:5-7“The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.”Psalm 10:12, 14Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless! . . . But you see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans.Psalm 12:5The Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.”Psalm 40:17As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay.Psalm 121:1-2, 8I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! . . . The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.When we feel helpless, God stands ready as our defender. Only God himself can defend us against the forces of evil.Isaiah 33:24The people of Israel will no longer say, “We are sick and helpless,” for the Lord will forgive their sins.Romans 5:8God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.Romans 8:1-2So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.1 John 1:9If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.God helps us by forgiving our sins. When we sin, we often experience guilt, damaged relationships, and other consequences. We may be tempted to try to “fix” what we have done before turning to God and admitting the shame of our sin. This is a trap. We cannot overcome sin without relying on our Savior. Once we repent and receive forgiveness, we will be in a much healthier place for moving forward.John 14:16-17“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”Romans 8:26The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.Philippians 1:19I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.The Holy Spirit helps us, even when we don’t know what to do or how to pray in a certain situation.2 Chronicles 25:8If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up.”Psalm 28:7The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.Psalm 31:22In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.Psalm 33:20We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.Psalm 35:10With every bone in my body I will praise him: “Lord, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”Psalm 46:1God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.Isaiah 41:10, 13-14“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. . . . For I hold you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the Lord, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.’”Psalm 54:4God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!Psalm 115:9-11O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.Acts 26:22God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen.God is our refuge, strength, and shield. His help is active, not passive—he rescues, he protects, and he strengthens.Psalm 142:3When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.God gives direction. The One who knows the way will lead us.Genesis 4:12-15No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.” Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!” The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him.Proverbs 3:11-12My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.Hebrews 12:6“For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”God mercifully disciplines us in order to restore us.1 Thessalonians 2:2You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition.God gives us courage in the face of opposition.1 Samuel 12:8When the Israelites were in Egypt and cried out to the Lord, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt and to bring them into this land.God sends others to help us. The One who sees our helplessness sends helpers.Deuteronomy 7:21-24“No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you. But the Lord your God will hand them over to you. He will throw them into complete confusion until they are destroyed. He will put their kings in your power, and you will erase their names from the face of the earth. No one will be able to stand against you, and you will destroy them all.”Sometimes God’s help is a gradual process; otherwise, we wouldn’t appreciate it or couldn’t handle it. God’s timing brings the most help at the best time.

Question 5

What can I do to help the helpless?

Accepted Answer

John 13:34-35“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”John 15:12“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”Romans 13:8-9Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”Galatians 5:13-14You have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”1 John 4:7-8, 11-12Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. . . . Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.Loving God should inspire us to love others, and loving others should inspire us to help those in need.Proverbs 27:6Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.Matthew 7:3, 5“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? . . . Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”Ephesians 4:15Speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.Galatians 6:1-3If another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.Believers should speak hard truths gently, humbly, and in love. Though we are told to be humble and address our own sins and weaknesses, staying silent when we see dangerous patterns in other’s lives is hardly loving. If we truly care about someone, we should warn the person kindly and encourage him or her in the faith. Through this, we may save that person a great deal of pain down the road.Psalm 82:4Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.Proverbs 31:8-9Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.Luke 12:33“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.”1 Timothy 5:16If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.Our help to others should be a picture of God’s love in action through us. Godliness is God living and loving through us.Matthew 12:10-12He [Jesus] noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”Acts 20:35“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”Romans 12:13When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.We should make helping others a priority and a blessed habit.Genesis 14:14-16When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan. There he divided his men and attacked during the night. Kedorlaomer’s army fled, but Abram chased them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.Sometimes helping others requires a great deal of effort and perseverance. Helping is active, not passive.

Question 6

How can I maintain hope when I feel helpless in discouraging circumstances?

Accepted Answer

Daniel 3:21-28So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed . . . So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” . . . Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. . . . Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”Luke 12:11-12“And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”In discouraging circumstances, we shouldn’t panic but start praying. If we do, we will experience God’s presence and power.Matthew 6:25-34“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”In discouraging circumstances, we should keep our eyes on God, keep following his priorities, and keep praying. We will experience his peace.Romans 12:12Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.In discouraging circumstances, we should remember that God is sovereign and loving. When we are patient and prayerful, we will discover the joy of knowing that this deep love is at work in us and for us.Romans 15:4Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.In discouraging circumstances, reading God’s Word and applying it to our lives will helps us discover the power of God’s promises.Psalm 27:14Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.Isaiah 40:31Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.Waiting quietly and patiently for God to work takes bravery. When we do, however, we will be amazed by God’s provision for us in all circumstances..

Helplessness