Did they ask, or did you impose, or did God lead you?

John 5:5-8 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ”Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir , I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”

Why would Jesus ask this man if he wanted to be healed? He knew the man was sick for a long time, wouldn’t any one sick want to be healed?

So many of us want to help others, but we only want to help the way we want to. We need to ask what it is exactly, that they want or need. When we try to help in a way that imposes, we are no help at all. If we come up with a good idea on our own, on how we can help, we only get in the way and become more of the problem than the solution to one.

If we will take the time to ask God how we can help someone, and wait for a leading then we will at least know our efforts are not in vain.

Helping others is something that is only considered help if they think so. If Jesus had healed the man lying by the pool, and it was not what he wanted, if lying there in sickness was his desire Jesus was not going to be help to him at all. That is why Jesus asked, “Do you want to be healed.”

Christians need to be like that. Let the people ask. If we have anything to offer that is worth asking for others will see it. Some people want to take God’s promises and spoon feed people while holding them down. God never imposes, He never forces, He never will give you something that is not what you want. The devil on the other hand is all about not letting you have a free will, he wants you to be forced to love him.

God is sitting at His throne with Jesus sitting at His right hand. Do you want His help? If you do you will need to ask, They will never impose.

Or you might want to just be sick a little longer, self pity has some rewards that are hard to let go of, if your looking for attention from others, and not attention from God.

Do you want help? Ask, and be specific.

Do you want to help some one, ask them how you can, and listen to the request, carefully.