Did I do it or did God?
Was it me or was it God? Have you ever had that question in your life? You are wondering if God is even aware of you? You have been working so hard, using all your strength and you feel like all the weight is on you. You wonder, “Is the progress I am making from all my hard work or from God helping me?” You get a promotion at work, was it you or God? Your child finally learns to read after struggling for years, was it your child or God?
My daughter had this question when I suggested that God helped her with her good grades. She answered, "Mom, I'm the one that got those grades. I worked hard to earn that." After a few more frustrating minutes she said, "How do we know the Lord is helping us when we are the ones doing the work? You said, ‘He is the one who got me the good grades’ but I was the one who did the work to earn them.” I didn't know what to say and took the matter to the Lord. The next morning I went to my yoga class and had an experience that helped me learn to see God in what I was working hard to do.
The Parable of the Headstand
About a month before this conversation with my daughter, I had been working on positive thinking, having faith in the Lord, asking for help, and knowing that He wanted to grant me my desires. I had made a goal to be able to do a headstand in my yoga class. Up to this point, a headstand had seemed an impossible dream. I couldn't even do a pushup let alone a headstand. I decided that I would work towards a headstand and with the help of the Lord, I would be able to do one in about a year. I believed the scripture:
“With God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
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The day after I made this goal I attended one of my yoga classes with my favorite instructor. I happened to be the only student that showed up, which had never happened before. As we began our practice, I had the thought that I should ask her to teach me how to do a headstand. I didn’t want to impose and felt a little embarrassed and decided that if she asked me what I wanted to do then I would tell her. Five minutes later she asked if there was something I wanted to work on. I told her my desire to do a headstand and she immediately accepted the challenge. For the next several weeks she would work on headstands with the class. She would give me tips and suggestions and the help I needed.
During the week I would attend weight strengthening classes and practice using the muscles I needed. I worked on stretching and flexibility and continued to go to class every week and try to go upside down. Time passed and during each class I would get a little closer. I got my legs a little higher and felt like I was making progress, but knew it would still take time. I spoke positively to myself and prayed for help and believed God would help me.
Two days after my conversation with my daughter and just over a month after setting my goal, I attended my weekly yoga class and again happened to be the only student who came. After stretching and holding poses she asked if I wanted to go upside down. But today I was tired that morning and had just come back from 2 weeks of not exercising because of Christmas. But, I agreed that I would try again. She said that she had been scrolling through Pinterest and had seen a way to put blocks under the shoulders to help support the headstand. We decided to give it a try. Within about 10 minutes, and with the assistance of my instructor I was looking at the room upside down. I couldn’t believe it. I was able to do the headstand one more time before class ended. It was amazing!
As I drove home I thought about my daughter and the question she posed: “How do we know the Lord is helping us when we are the ones doing the work?” I reflected on this experience I had just had. I was the one who went upside down, but the Lord had given me two one-on-one classes with my instructor, had given my instructor the idea of the blocks that supported me, and He gave me the confidence I needed. So yes, it was me but it was also Him. That is how He works. Without His help I could have eventually done a handstand but with His help, I was able to achieve it so much faster.
The Lord is always there. He is in the details and He cares about what we care about. He does expect us to work hard but He can make our efforts double. Sometimes things are done faster as in this experience. Sometimes he gives us strength as shown in this scripture:
And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.-Mosiah 24:15
His help is not always right in front of us. But if we will look for it, we will find it. It takes faith and trust, but you will be able to see that all you accomplish is through a partnership between you and the Lord.
I chose this particular flower for today’s quote because of where I found it. We were in Bryce Canyon and walking along a ledge. I looked down and saw this little flower growing vertically out of the side of the ledge. It looks like it is just on the ground growing up but I am actually looking down at the flower. The ground she is growing out of is a cliff. I was so proud of this little beauty. She worked so hard to make a place for herself even in circumstances that were not normal and were beyond her control. But look how beautiful she is. How the sun lights her up and how she is thriving. She truly knows that “With God all things are possible.”
