If you are serious about pleasing God in life, you need to discard this ridiculous notion of self-help. While people say you are a powerhouse of potential who just needs to learn how to flip on your own switch, God says you’re an impotent dot of a creature who can’t do bumpkus without Him. Self-help encourages a mentality of self-reliance and autonomy. Such a focus is going to lead you far astray from where you need to be.

The truth is that you don’t get any say about how sweet your experience of this world will be. God is the One calling the shots in your life whether you acknowledge Him or not. He is the One controlling your circumstances, health, and overall comfort. God says that the only choice you really have is in deciding how much you’re going to submit to Him in life. He doesn’t make any promises that if you submit to Him, He’ll respond by making your life one big bowl of pitted cherries. God isn’t into this tit for tat game that we humans are so fond of. He doesn’t say, “If you toss five bucks into the offering plate Sunday morning, I’ll respond by giving you $500.” He says, “I’m the King. I give commands, not suggestions. If you defy Me, I’m going to make you very sorry.”