Self Help?

So, I read this quote in an article yesterday:

"The huge and punishing self-help industry preys on fear and adds guilt to the mix."

It stopped me dead in my tracks.  The idea of "self-help" has always bothered me...not the idea that we should try to better ourselves, to grow as individuals; but more the insinuation behind it that if we would just get our crap together, our problems would magically disappear.  I mean, clearly all of our challenges are self-induced, right?  If we were just more disciplined, more focused, were always positive, took these vitamins, ate no gluten, ate no dairy, ate no meat, trusted God more, worked harder, exercised more, drank more water....

It has always seemed a hamster wheel to me and I jumped out a long time ago, but I have assumed it was simply people judging and trying to one up each other...until I read that quote.

Like a lightning bolt to my brain - SELF-HELP INDUSTRY.  oh.  Oh.  OH. OHH. !!!!  

This is about money.

People, who are sincerely doing their best in life are being beaten mentally and made to feel unworthy and useless and stupid because somebody wants a paycheck.  Got it.

It made me feel angry and sad and helpless all at once.

Listen!!!  We cannot save ourselves.  None of us can.  The whole reason Jesus came is because there is no such thing as self-help.  We cannot, CANNOT do enough of the "right" things to make ourselves better, to make ourselves whole.

There is nothing wrong with trying...but there is something patently wrong with trusting your own effort.

My dear friends, eat as well as you can, exercise, sleep, take care of yourselves...absolutely.  But, at the end of the day, fall onto the rock, the great I AM, the lover of your soul and be convinced that He and He alone can save you.  Not only is He the only one who is able to, but He desperately wants to lift that burden from your shoulders.

This blog started off being about helping Moms who were being made to feel inadequate, but I realize now it's not just Moms, it's people in general.

 I declare war on the "self-help" industry.  I may be just one person, but I'm coming for you.