In our modern church culture, we've subtly shifted from preaching dependence on God to promoting spiritual self-actualization. We've traded the radical message of "God has helped" for the comfortable doctrine of "God helps those who help themselves." But what if this fundamental shift has put the church to sleep?

Consider Sarah, a faithful church member preparing for a crucial job interview. In today's church culture, she might hear:

"God gave you talents—now use them! Visualize success, speak positive affirmations, dress for the job you want, and believe in yourself. God wants you to reach your full potential!"

This sounds spiritual, even biblical. But compare it to what Paul might have said:

"Boast in your weaknesses, that Christ's power may rest upon you. Trust not in your own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all your ways. Whether you get this job or not, God has helped you and will continue to help you according to His perfect will."

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs has unconsciously become our gospel roadmap. We preach that God wants us to progress from basic needs to self-actualization, from dependence to independence. But Scripture tells a radically different story.

Jesus didn't come to help us become self-actualized. He came because we were dead—spiritually, completely, utterly dead. Like Lazarus in the tomb, we needed someone else to call us to life. We needed someone to say, "Come forth," because we couldn't even respond until He gave us the ability to hear His voice.

When Jesus said Lazarus had "fallen asleep," He used a euphemism for death. But there's profound truth here for the church today. We've fallen asleep to our need for God's help.
We've confused spiritual maturity with spiritual independence.

True spiritual maturity isn't growing from dependence to independence—it's growing in our understanding of just how dependent we really are. The mature believer doesn't need God less; they recognize they need God more than they ever imagined.

Let's return to Sarah and her job interview. What if instead of self-help spirituality, her church taught her this:

"Sarah, whether you get this job depends entirely on God's sovereign will for your life. Your worth isn't determined by your performance, your talents aren't your own, and your future is secure not because of what you can do, but because of what Christ has done. Go into that interview not to prove yourself, but to represent the One who has already proven Himself faithful. If you get the job, remember: God has helped. If you don't get the job, remember, God has helped."

Jesus is calling to His church today just as He called to Lazarus: "Come forth!" Come out of the tomb of self-sufficiency. Come away from the grave clothes of spiritual independence. Remember that your very name (character) as a believer means "God has helped."

The world offers self-actualization. Jesus offers resurrection. The world promises you can become your best self. Jesus promises you can become a new creation. The difference isn't subtle—it's the difference between life and death.