What does the Bible say about self-help methods?

This son of a prophet was conscious of his loss, and he felt it the more because the axe was borrowed; but he was wise in that he did not waste his time in vain efforts to recover what he had lost, but cried to the man of God "Alas, master!" And here is a fine example for sinful men. The first step to recovery and blessing is to realize the need and the loss, but some who have taken this step are seeking sincerely and earnestly to right what is wrong by their own efforts. They are endeavouring by their works to save themselves, when the Scripture states expressly, "Not of works, lest any man should boast."

This son of a prophet was conscious of his loss, and he felt it the more because the axe was borrowed; but he was wise in that he did not waste his time in vain efforts to recover what he had lost, but cried to the man of God, "Alas, master!" And here is a fine example for sinful men. The first step to recovery and blessing is to realise the need and the loss, but some who have taken this step are seeking sincerely and earnestly to right what is wrong by their own efforts. They are endeavouring by their works to save themselves, when the Scripture states expressly "Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Towards the end of the chapter this person stops looking for help within himself and starts looking for help outside himself. It is not ‘how shall I deliver myself’ but ‘who shall deliver me…?’ (v.24).

در آیات انتهایی باب هفت این شخص جستجو برای کمک در درون خود را متوقف کرده و شروع به یافتن کمک در بیرون از خود میکند. این درست نیست که بگوییم "که چگونه خود را رهایی بخشم" بلکه درست این است: "کیست مرا از پیکر مرگ رهایی بخشد؟" ( آیه 24).

Have you felt like that? It may be so, and you have been trying to improve your condition and life, honestly, sincerely; but it has been in vain, the foul water has broken out from the corrupted spring within you when you least wanted or expected it, and your life is a record of broken resolutions and frustrated hopes. What will you do? It is worse than useless to hide the truth from yourself, that would be self-deception, and you cannot deceive others, for they know you by what they know of themselves, or they think they do; least of all can you deceive God. Keep not silent as to this matter before Him, tell your inward grief to God, lay bare your soul before Him, even though the very thought of its corruption disgusts you. David, the great king, said: "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer." But he saw how foolish he was in that, and he did the right thing at last, for he added: "I acknowledged my transgression, and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." Happy David!

When not only our self-confidence but our self-hope also is shattered, we have taken a big step forward. We inevitably then begin to look outside ourselves. At first perhaps we only look for help, and consequently look in wrong directions. Yet sooner or later we discover it is not help that we need, but rather a positive deliverance by a power that is not of ourselves at all. Then, very soon, we find the answer to our cry. Deliverance is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord, thanks be to God! He is as able to deliver us from the slavery of sin as He is from the guilt of our sins.

You will observe that there are definite stages in the practical lesson of these verses; first, the admission of helplessness; secondly, the prayer for a Helper; and, thirdly, the knowledge that there is One, no stranger to you, who stands, as it were, at your very elbow, ready to give you what you are seeking. Perhaps it has never yet entered your thoughts that such a Deliverer is available for you. You may have imagined that, having been made a child of God, you are expected to live righteously, soberly, and godly before Him by your own persevering efforts under some intensive system of self-culture.

As with the man in connection with his bodily needs, so with ourselves in connection with our spiritual needs. The power of sin from which we need deliverance has deprived us of the power of obtaining deliverance by our own efforts. The impotent man, for long weary years, had been struggling to obtain the blessing, but all in vain. At last he is brought to the point when he confesses that he is in need of a deliverer. He needed deliverance from his legal struggles to secure the blessing, and he needed strength over that which had hitherto carried him. In answer to the Lord's question he says, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool". He owns his utter weakness and the futility of all his efforts and therefore the need of another if he is to be delivered from his sad condition. Directly he ceases from his struggles and looks for a deliverer, he finds that a Deliverer is at hand. The Lord's word is, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk". The man is delivered from his own efforts to get the desired blessing, with the result that, by the power of Another, he is made whole, and enabled to carry the thing which had carried him.

it will make you anxious to see the great Physician. It won’t make you better, but you will want the services of the great Physician, and HE can cure you. What would you think of me if, when feeling ill and getting worse, I had said to my friends, I will not have a doctor until I feel better? They would think I was off my head. That is the way you do. You put off going to Christ until you turn over a new leaf, say your prayers, etc.—until you feel better. What nonsense! The worse the case, the greater need for the great Physician. You want to get better before you seek the services of Jesus, the great Healer of soul-diseases.

a severe attack of soul-sickness, it will make you anxious to see the great Physician. It won’t make you better, but you will want the services of the great Physician, and HE can cure you. What would you think of me if, when feeling ill and getting worse, I had said to my friends, I will not have a doctor until I feel better? They would think I was off my head. That is the way you do. You put off going to Christ until you turn over a new leaf, say your prayers, etc.—until you feel better. What nonsense! The worse the case, the greater need for the great Physician. You want to get better before you seek the services of Jesus, the great Healer of soul-diseases.