"Freely you have received; freely give." Matthew 10:8b (NIV)

The hot water rinsed the shampoo down my head and neck as my mom tenderly washed my blood-soaked hair. I had just returned home from the trauma center after being involved in a serious six-car accident just hours before - grateful to be miraculously alive.

It was difficult to comprehend walking away that evening from the emergency room with no broken bones, no visible cuts. MRI and CAT scans showed no brain injury from my scalp gash and being knocked unconscious from the side airbag. Eleven staples in the back of my head and body bruises were my only (yet barely visible) battle wounds.

The inner wounds lingered, though, as I processed the lessons God was trying to teach me.

Loved ones and friends brought daily meals, sent cards, flowers, texts, emails and left sweet phone messages for me. Mom chauffeured me around for a week to doctor's appointments and errands before I was issued a rental car.

As grateful as I was, I struggled to accept their help. It has always been easier for me to give, to serve, to try to be in control of my situation, my surroundings. This car accident changed my perspective and humbled my heart.

God wanted me to learn this truth about myself: I'm not good at receiving.

As result of that accident, I learned a hard lesson. I learned to ask for help when I need it. And when I did, God taught me the blessing of receiving.

God's Kingdom is built on the principle of giving and receiving ... receiving and giving. At times we need to do both.

Asking for help is often hard, whatever the reason. At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we love to give. We love serving you, and offering God's Word to a hungry world.

And at times, we struggle to ask for help. But we know that would deny others the blessing of giving. For some, giving is a spiritual gift, as Romans 12:8 shows us (see below).

Our key verse in Matthew 10:8b teaches us that our hands should be open when it comes to giving and receiving help. Jesus was giving specific instructions to His disciples in that passage. The full verse eight says: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."

God wired our hearts to give and receive. He gave the Ultimate Gift. He gave sacrificially. He gave from His heart, just as He wants us to give sacrificially and have the grace and humility to receive. How many times have I rejected God's offer of help to me, thinking I could do life on my own? It was pride.

This incident taught me the hard lesson that I needed to learn to ask for help. I thank God for my car accident and that He spared my life for His purpose. I pray God continues to show me how to give sacrificially and receive with grace and humility.

Lord Jesus, thank You for saving my life. You are my Jehovah Jirah. Forgive me for my pride in struggling to receive. Help me to continue to lavishly give to You, serve others and receive Your blessings. I pray for Your continued favor on the friend reading this devotional and on Proverbs 31 Ministries. Thank You for providing more than enough, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Romans 12:6 & 8, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ... if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." (NIV)

2 Corinthians 9:10-11, "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (NIV)

1 John 3:1a, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (NIV)

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REFLECT AND RESPOND:

With what "accident" has God taught you a difficult lesson?

When have you lavishly given and lavishly received?

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© 2015 by Danya Jordan. All rights reserved.