There's a saying, "God helps those, who help themselves."?

Question

Is that particular saying found in the Bible? Not that I've scanned the entire Bible, but I've never seen it. Also, if we REALLY were able to help ourselves, we wouldn't need help from God. That statement has me wondering about it's validity. Why? People who have issues in their lives. They cry out to God in times of distress and he helps them. Like King David. In times of distresss, Kind David would literally pour his heart out to God. Evidence that King David wasn't able to help himself. So I wonder about the validity of this statement. Comments? Over analyizing it? Maybe. Maybe not. I guess that point that I'm trying to make is that most people can't help themselves. Ok. Let's talk about addictions. How may people are able to break free of additions all by themselves verses the people who sincerely pray to God and are able to break free of addicitions?

Sorry everybody for the long winded question. I'm typing as I'm thinking this stuff through. :)

Answer 1

That's not true, No, that’s not a Bible verse.

Well, let’s see, I can give you an illustration of it back in Judges, there’s a great statement. You remember the great soldier Gideon? Well, Gideon was a great soldier; he took 300 men and won a great victory. And you know what his battle cry was? And I’ve always thought that was a fabulous battle cry. His battle cry was, “the sword of the Lord and Gideon.” Isn’t that good? “The sword of the Lord and Gideon.” Not just the sword of the Lord, not just the sword of Gideon, but “The sword of the Lord and Gideon.” I like that. I think that that’s true: God helps them that help themselves in some ways, in this sense: I don’t think God’s going to do much through you if you’re not going to do much. You know, you’re not going to just sit there and say, “All right God, go; do it.” You know, I mean, I could say, well, you know, the Lord has anointed me to preach, so I’m just going to get up in the pulpit and wait until He gives me something to say. And I think that’s a truism but not Biblical.

Only in recent times, we have seen or heard of many horrendous calamities — natural and man–made. Of natural calamities, the Philippines was among the worst hit country by the El Niño drought in 1998. We saw hunger and death — in fact, hundreds of deaths — among rural people who could not grow anything for lack of water, and therefore had nothing to eat. When the drought ended and the rains came, they were able to plant again. But came harvest time, prices nose–dived. Thus they could not even pay back the traders who loaned them seeds and chemical inputs, much less pay the school fees of their children. Then the floods followed in the wake of the typhoons spawned by La Niña. In Central Luzon, towns were only spared from being buried by the lahar left by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1990 because, along with the government, the people took precautionary measures earlier.

Of man–made calamities, who can forget the sounds and images of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon brought to our living rooms live by the international tv networks? The sheer barbarism and inhumanity of the terrorist attacks so angered the American people that in no time at all President George Bush considered the attacks as “acts of war” against the US and forthwith declared war against terrorists and nations that harbor them. Setting aside bi–partisan politics, the US House of Representative voted 420–1 authorizing the use of force against those responsible for the attacks. It also approved an appropriation of $40 billion for rehabilitation and improved home security. Finally, surveys showed that an overwhelming majority of Americans — 7 in 10 — supported a military response even if it means a long war resulting in big casualties.

Worldwide, country after country, including Muslim countries, expressed support for the US–led war on terrorism. The United Nations Security Council itself passed a resolution backing whatever action — military or diplomatic — the US would take in fighting terrorism. Even Pakistan, then one of only three countries that recognizes Afghanistan's Taliban government, supported the US stand. Thus the war on terrorism has quickly become an international effort.

Natural and man–made calamities make many of us feel helpless if not hopeless. The same is true when we are confronted with serious personal crises. And we wonder what kind of life lies ahead for us, if we survive at all.

In the gospel reading (Lk. 17:5–10), the disciples, hearing the stringent demands on their faith made earlier by Jesus, for example, “If your brother wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,' you should forgive him” (Lk. 17:4), approached and asked Jesus, “Lord, increase our faith.” They need more faith to be able to forgive those who have offended them not only “seven times” but “seventy times seven times.” They need more faith to be a light to others. They need more faith to be able to be at the service of the “least of my brothers.”

It is easy to say that we have faith in Jesus when everything is going fine. But when there are big problems, crises, calamities, well.... But Jesus wants us to have faith in Him, even and especially in moments of crises so that we can triumph over them: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.”

Faith. What is faith? In the context of our day to day problems, faith is that virtue which makes us hold on to God's hand so that He will be our light, our strength and our savior. Perhaps our faith may be smaller than the already small mustard seed, i.e. it is not big enough to move mountains. But it should be big enough to enable us to reach out to God's hand so that He will help us walk up the mountains of problems confronting us. To have faith is to acknowledge our inadequacies as we place ourselves entirely in God's hands.

On the other hand, even if we put our trust in the Lord, we still have to do our part. This is what is meant when we say in the Lord's Prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread,” that is, we put our destiny in the hands of God. But when we do so, we do not expect Him to rain down food from heaven. Rather, He wants us to do our share — we have to work to bring food to our table. The same goes with our problems. Thus as we ask for help from God, we also have to help ourselves cope with them. And with God's grace, we are enabled to overcome them or anything else that comes our way.

A writer once said that amidst our various problems, we ask why God is not doing anything. In truth, he said, it is God who is asking us: “Why are YOU not doing anything at all?” In other words, God helps those who help themselves. Do we?

Answer 2

A verse resembling that is present in the Quran. I don't remember the exact words. It basically means that a person should do his best and also pray to God. A person should do what he is capable of doing. If he just sits and expects that God will do everything, it is difficult that things will change. Even though God sometimes does things for people without any effort on their part, it is not the norm. He expects people to make an effort. Once they make an effort, he may give them more than they deserve.
God himself has given human beings abilities. He expects that people will use those abilities to solve their problems. So when a person tries to help himself/herself, he/she is in reality using the abilities given to him by God. But there are times when issues or problems are beyond a person's abilites. He/she should ask for help in all situations.

These things apply to our present life because it is regarded as a kind of test. In the next life, people will not need to or have to make an effort.

Answer 3

I don't think it came from the Bible, but it simply means that people should do whatever they can do to make their own lives better. Praying to God for help is really just a way of figuring out what to do in a problematic situation. God is within, so the answers are also within.

Answer 4

It is not in the bible. It is a quote from an Aesop's Fable The story is "Hercules and the Wagoner." The quote is,"The gods help them that help themselves." This is in total contradiction to the word of God.

Answer 5

I do not know where that saying came from.
The statement suggests when you ask God for help, do not expect Him to wave a magic wand and all will be as you ordered,but He will make a way for you to get to where you need to be. If he opens a door for you, it will be up to you to walk through it.
Most will tell you to stop scanning and start reading but I compliment you on aleast looking, but I'm afraid you could be misled because you won't have the whole picture. God bless you

Answer 6

"Faith without works is dead." This means that you must take a step on faith for anything of faith to manifest. I think this is where it has been determined to mean that God will help you if you will help yourself. You must take a step of faith to get God's attention since He is a faith God. He can only be worshiped in spirit and truth, so there is no other way to get into fellowship with Him. You were born with the measure of faith to take the first step and then God will do the rest when you surrender to His leadership. It is then a matter of paying attention and He will have and keep you in the right circumstances to prosper. Prosper is not always about money, it is about a way of life and a state of mind.

Answer 7

No, it's not in the bible. My opinion, Gods more willing to help you if you are not sitting here saying, "GOD, I need some ice cream." He expects you to go to the store to get it, not wait for him send you a pint. Addictions, the first step they need to take is admitting they have a problem. That is helping themselves. Then they need God to help them through it.

Another quote: "Whenever your looking for a helping hand, look at the end of your own arm."

Answer 8

No, it is not in the Bible. If it was it would actually be contradictory to what the Bible says.

For it is by grace we are saved, not of ourselves, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthains 12:9

Answer 9

Ok. No that is not in the bible. But, I take the meaning of it like you can't lay in the gutter and expect God to just come along and POOF! your in a mansion. God wants to help us, but we have to get up out of the gutter and do something ourselves. Know what I mean?

Answer 10

This statement may be True as per Bible.
But as per Hinduism God only pays/help those who work without asking for results
Apply this u will always succeed & happy

Answer 11

No there's isn't anything like that in the Bible. What comes close is in Psalm 145:14 - HE helps those who are in trouble; HE lifts those who have fallen.