Most of us have heard the phrase “no man is an island.” How about “it takes a village,” when referring to raising our #children? Phrases and sayings like this exist for a reason, yet in our #culture there has been a shift where we are made to think that if we need help, accept help, or seek help, we are #weak. We have all been there when those thoughts of self-deprecation have crept in, right? Friends, this could not be more wrong.
Some of you may be familiar with the story of Moses in Exodus 17. The Israelites were battling with an enemy (the Amaleks). Whenever Moses raised his hands during the battle, the Israelites would continue winning. When he lowered them, they began to be overtaken. As you can imagine, this would be very hard to sustain. Exodus 17:12 tells us this: “But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” The Israelites ended up winning that battle, and, though it was ultimately the Lord’s victory, He used Moses to help accomplish this. Moses needed the help of his friends, Aaron and Hur, to accomplish this. Do we think less of Moses for accepting help from his friends? Certainly not.
In my years as a therapist I can’t tell you how many people have entered #therapy for the first time and have sat down in my office sharing stories of how long they have silently struggled on their own. Too scared to tell their #family. Too proud to seek help. Too embarrassed for #friends to find out. We all have our reasons for not seeking help. I challenge you to make a change; instead of listing out reasons or excuses to avoid help, try making a list of what good could come if you chose to move forward. What have you got to lose? We at HBH are here for you, wanting to come alongside you and hold up your arms in battle, just as Aaron and Hur did for Moses.
HBH Associate Clinical Director