Expressing our personal neediness is a vulnerable thing to do, wouldn't you agree?
Indeed, some of our neediness is far easier to express than others. (Would you carry the laundry downstairs for me? I need your help with directions to…)
The “others” are hard and riskier (vulnerable) to express. (Would you help me overcome my addiction to...? I’m struggling with extreme anger and anxiety; would you help me? And so on…)
Below are five reasons why we wrap our neediness in "pretty paper" and how God invites us to package our neediness His Way by living aligned to our God-given design:
First off, why do we naturally tend to hide our neediness by appearing UN-needy?
Why? Because we fear being misunderstood, wrongly judged, rejected, and even possibly losing status.
Why? Because there is this pressure or expectation of needing to have it all together, have all the answers, have all the energy, have all figured out. All on our own.
Why? Because the enemy of our souls wants us to follow his example of setting ourselves up as God. That’s exactly what he did long ago before being kicked out of Heaven.
Why? Because Satan knows if we begin to believe living life is all up to us, then the True God will not be given room to show up in our lives as our Savior, our Peace, our Joy, and our Abundant Life. We will be way too busy DOing all the work (which we eventually find to be futile), and thus give no room for God to accomplish His Perfect Design of transforming work of making us into likeness of His Son Jesus Christ.
Why? Because Satan, the enemy of our souls, also knows the “upside-down” ways of God will actually FREE US from ourselves, our striving, our shame, our hopelessness, and lovingly DRAW US to receive MORE of God, His Strength, His Joy, His Peace, His Power, His Wisdom, His Salvation day to day, to day, to day...!
So what? There’s a personal, deliberate decision to be made here. It comes in the form of a choice. A change of heart. A new mindset. An exchange. A surrender of our ideals to embrace His. A new direction of taking our eyes OFF ourselves and placing them ONTO Christ.
Jesus Christ makes it quite plain here:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)
Neediness is a trigger for us to come to grips of the Truth: We ARE needy! And Christ has come to be our Perfect Need-Meeter!
Now what? Read Matthew 5:3-12 in The Message translation below and listen with your heart as to what next step God might be leading you to make today regarding your neediness.
3 “You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4 “You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5 “You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
6 “You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
7 “You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.
8 “You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9 “You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
10 “You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.
11 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.
12 You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
God explains to us in Matthew 5:3-12 just how He designed us to "wrap" our neediness in humility, and how He promises to "unwrap" our neediness with His blessing.
What's the point? The point is...as much as we want to hide it, deny it, or cover it up...every one of us is desperately needy. This is our God-given design. We have been packaged this way, now and for all eternity. And God has perfectly met our neediness in the gift of His Son taking our deserved shame, guilt, regret and condemnation for us so we can live dependent on Him who is our True Strength, Eternal Life, Guaranteed Security and Perfectly Promised Help in our every time of need! (Hebrews 4:16)
What will be your next step forward...looking unto Jesus, the Author and Perfector of your faith? (Hebrews 12:2)
What type of accountability might you need so you can grow forward, deeper into Jesus with greater, personal fulfillment and freedom?
Consider investing in a Coaching-Journey with me and experience a freshness of effective growth and lasting transformation, aligned to your God-given design!
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