Today I am sitting here contemplating some projects that I need to make happen at my home. As I run through the list I realize that I sometimes jump into projects thinking I am able to DIY. Anybody else out there know where I am coming from? Some folks are great at DIY tasks, but I am one who needs to watch several home improvement shows, watch YouTube and then have someone else to do the project for me.

David wrote in Psalm 20, “In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm. May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem. May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers. Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king. He will answer him from his holy heaven and rescue him by his great power. Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm. Give victory to our king, O Lord! Answer our cry for help.”

DIY came about from the self-help movement. Countless people are out there speaking to crowds of people proclaiming, “I’m ok!” and “You’re ok!” and “I’m the answer to my problems!” and “You can be the best you be and start living your best life!” We even have preachers standing in pulpits telling people this thought. However, according to Scripture, we cannot do life by ourselves. At least I know I can’t. I have tried to travel my journey alone and it was not a good thing for me.

Just this week I have heard from some who are homeless, say that the hardest part of being homeless is asking for help. I sat down with Jason and he confirmed this because he had been without a job for nine years and he said pride kept him from asking someone for help. He told me he came to talk because he had no other choice.

We are all like this. We live our lives and we do things the best way we think possible. But I am realizing I can’t do life alone. I know as a Dad, I need a village of people I trust to come along beside me and help me become the best I can be. I need good people to speak into the lives of my sons. It was difficult for me to get to this point in my life. I know they are not a DIY project. It is taking godly men, women and much prayer on my part.

Remember what Jason said, the hardest thing people deal with is asking for help. This is a problem because if we continue to try and DIY then the realization is we are not relying on God. In our DIY culture, Jason is not alone.

Our DIY should become DIWG. (Do It With God) This is hard for us. Like Jason, a lot of us won’t get to this point in our lives where we ask for help from others, much less ask God for help, except when we realize we cannot do life by ourselves.

The Bible helps me realize that if I rely on me then I will fail. If I am the problem, then I am probably not the solution. If I rely on me, then I will always struggle with the same problems and never become what I am designed to become. If I rely on me then I will not reach my full potential for my family and my friends.

DIWG is not a token prayer to God. You know what I mean. “God, you can come and sit in the passenger seat, watching over me as I drive us where I want to go.” No, it’s an invite for Him to take the steering wheel and control everything in our lives along our journey.

You know this DIY thought is very hard for us guys. I can say this because I am one. I am not throwing out gender stereotypes, but this is truth. How do I know? This question is for all the guys: How long does it take for you to admit that you are driving in the wrong direction? Do you readily stop and ask for directions? Are you like me? I usually drive 20 miles out of the way before admitting I have no idea where I am.

This past November we traveled to St. Augustine in Florida. We had a great day together as a family and we were making our way back to our beach home. I stated that I knew where we were going, but my wife, Amy, asked me if I was positive. Of course I let her know everything was good and had it under control. But when I ended up at a port facility with a dead end and a water way in front of me, I knew something was wrong. As it would go, we had to cross the water on a ferry and this was something I had never done before. When we were out on the waterway Amy eventually leaned over and asked me if I knew what I was doing. I had to go from DIY to DIWA. (Do It With Amy)

We get so caught up in doing everything ourselves and I have to stop and ask myself many times, “How’s that working out for you?” You may need to stop some destructive thoughts and ways in your life. Are you traveling down the wrong path, but you are unwilling to stop and ask for help? Are you trying to drive your life and asking God to assist you with your travels? If this is the case, then I will tell you your DIY system is not going to work out.

In Psalm 20, David realized it was God who was giving him victory. Remember, he said, “May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers. Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king. He will answer him from his holy heaven and rescue him by his great power.” In Ephesians 2:12 it speaks about Israel living without God, it says “You lived in this world without God and without hope.” Did you catch that? “…without God and without hope.”

If we continue to DIY without God, then we will ultimately fail at how we are supposed to live our lives for our Savior. He has a plan and He has directions to lead us in, but if we continue to DIY and not DIWG then He will not get the victory He deserves. David closes Psalm 20 by saying, “Give victory to our king, O Lord!” When we give Him our plans and we DIWG, He will lead, guide and direct us and we can give Him all the praise.