It is not easy to accept help.
For homeschoolers, stay-at-home moms, and teachers, the pressure to “hold it all together” can feel relentless. We live in a culture that praises self-sufficiency and productivity, but God never designed us to bear every burden alone. Even the earliest Christian communities modeled mutual support, sharing resources, and praying for one another (Acts 2:44–45).
Even within church communities or teaching circles, many of us quietly wrestle with isolation. Social media connects us digitally but often leaves us feeling more alone. We scroll through carefully curated snapshots of others’ lives, measuring ourselves against illusions of perfection, and decide—without ever saying it out loud—that asking for help would be weakness.
God designed us for community.
The Hardest Part of Asking for Help
Asking for help can feel frightening. One educator* shared:
“There are always nerves about what the person will say or think about you when you allow yourself to be vulnerable to accept help. Some help seems genuine. I know I can trust the person and they are a safe space. There are those who are aggressive with help that create feelings of anxiety, as though ‘helping’ me is really to help them achieve or fix something for them. This makes me feel like a problem or a burden.”
This fear is natural. And yet, the Bible repeatedly reminds us that we are not meant to walk alone. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” God uses other people—friends, family, neighbors, and fellow believers—to shape us, strengthen us, and provide support when we are weary.
It’s important to remember: it’s okay if someone says no. That refusal is not a reflection of your worth. Asking anyway opens the door for connection and reveals the ways God provides through others.
Help Comes in Many Forms
Help can be practical, emotional, spiritual, or educational. Sometimes the simplest act of service carries the greatest impact.
“As a teacher, I have learned that moms offer help in areas they feel confident. It has been beautiful to learn about people’s talents and skills or passions and what they hold valuable. It ends up adding color and richness into the classroom. Accepting help is allowing another person to use their God-given gifts in ways I may not realize.”
For classical homeschooling families, help often looks like this: a co-op of families sharing the responsibility of teaching Latin or history, an online math course not taught by the Mom, or simply setting aside an afternoon to go on a walk with a friend while the children play. Even listening to the gentle advice of a friend reminding you, “You can’t do it all,” and “here its that I did in this situation” is a form of help.
Romans 12:6–8 reminds us that God gives each person different gifts—some to teach, some to serve, some to encourage. Accepting help allows God’s gifts to flow, strengthening the entire body of Christ. By receiving help, we give others the joy of serving, just as Christ calls us to serve one another (Galatians 5:13).
Balancing Self-Reliance and Shared Burdens
Many homeschoolers and teachers are natural doers. We like to have control, to make sure things are done well. But trying to “do it all” comes at a cost: burnout, loneliness, and discouragement.
“Being a classroom teacher for eight years before being a mother helped me see lots of different moms in action and how they needed help from me (teacher of their child) to give me a scope or understanding of what help is absolutely and totally normal… I try to accept offered help when I feel safe because it allows others to have relationships and an avenue of service. There have been times when I had to set boundaries on help so that I wasn’t taken over.”
Boundaries matter. Accepting help does not mean losing your calling or your vision. It means discerning what fits and what doesn’t while preserving your family, your students, and your own well-being. Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 reminds us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.”
Family, Community, and Intentional Connection
At the heart of accepting help is recognizing that we are not isolated units—we are part of families, friendships, classrooms, and church communities. Accepting help strengthens these connections.
Help can come from your spouse or partner, your children, your extended family, or neighbors. It can even come from people you don’t naturally like. Sometimes, God uses help from unexpected sources to teach patience, humility, or gratitude.
We have to make our own communities while continuing to nurture the ones we already have. If you find yourself feeling alone, take the first step to invite others in. Build relationships with people you love for all their strengths and weaknesses. Create spaces where help can flow, where laughter and tears are shared, and where each person’s gifts can be used for God’s glory. As Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Quiet, Subtle Help
Some of the most meaningful acts of help are quiet, relational, and unseen. One educator said:
“I try to be subtle and not press too hard about helping. I look for the quiet need and try to be consistent in providing love in that area… Oftentimes the biggest needs are unvoiced.”
These small acts of love mirror Jesus’ ministry—serving without fanfare, noticing needs others overlook, and offering support with compassion (Matthew 25:35–36).
A Final Word to the New Homeschooler or Teacher
If you are just beginning your journey and feel like asking for help makes you weak—remember, God designed humans for interdependence. Help is normal, necessary, and deeply spiritual.
It might look like a friend bringing over a meal, a co-op parent stepping in, a church member offering prayer, a neighbor running an errand for you, or an afternoon walk where both you and your children are refreshed. Every act matters, every connection matters. Asking, accepting, and giving help are ways to live out Christ’s command to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).
“Accepting or offering help is a way God spreads out His gifts to His many varied people.”
Form more connections, not fewer. Invite people in. Accept help from those you love—and even those you don’t naturally like. Embrace quiet, subtle ways help appears. Remember: it is okay if someone says no. Ask anyway. Build your communities and continue to nurture the old ones.
We were never meant to do this alone.
✝ “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2 (ESV)
✝ “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” — Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)
✝ “Two are better than one… if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 (ESV)
✝ “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” — Proverbs 17:17 (ESV)
*The educator interviewed has been a Lutheran Educator for over 5 year, heading closer to 10. She chose to remain anonymous
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