"Lord, this work is overwhelming me! Please send help. I can't manage it anymore!" Has this been your prayer tonight? If so, you're not alone.

After years of being engulfed with work, I know firsthand that the Lord always sends help just when you need it the most. The problem is that He sometimes sends it through the least likely person or circumstances you can imagine! Often it's someone you don't know. If you do know them, they may be someone you wouldn't have considered.

When you first realize you need help, your tendency may be to look to those closest to you, but this seldom works for long, because they may sometimes feel imposed upon or you may feel let down. It's easy sometimes, to overlook the person the Lord has chosen as His candidate for the job. In Jesus' life, too, God sent an unlikely choice.

When Jesus was walking to Calvary, and His cross became too heavy for Him, the one sent to help carry it wasn't one of the disciples, one of His friends, or even anyone He knew. Matthew tells us, "...they led him away to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross" (Matthew 27:31-32, NIV).

Likewise, the person or answer God sends to help you might be someone or something totally unexpected. Be open to what the Lord provides. God may work in surprising ways, but He'll always come through for you.

Heavenly Father, thank you for never giving me more work than I can bear. Thank you too for those You have sent and will send to assist me. Help me to recognize and develop the talents and abilities of anyone You "assign" to me. May we all be unified in our work so that through serving each other, we may be one! In Jesus' Name, Amen.