The Lost Art of Need
Posted on 03.20.07 in Faith and there are 4 comments.
I’ve been needy lately.
With our third child on the way and no family in town, I’ve learned how much I need my friends. I need someone to watch our girls while we’re at the hospital. I need friends to help us out after we get home.
I need.
And it’s been good.
No One Wants To Need
In America, it seems that we do everything we can to avoid need. We study and learn and work so that we won’t need our parents. We save for retirement so that we won’t need our children. We go into debt to buy all kinds of junk....just in case we “need” it.
Because we want to do everything we can to avoid need.
But need is good. Need is necessary.
We Need Our Friends
My need has shown me what good friends I have. My friend Kim has been a tremendous blessing. She’s offered to watch my girls and she’s organizing meals for us. Need strengthens our relationships.
We Need Our Faith
Need strengthens our faith. When I can’t handle things on my own or determine my own outcome I need God. I’ve found Him to be sufficient every time.
But I want to need Him more. I don’t want to just need Him when life gets hard.
We Need To Need More
I want to live my life in such a way that I am daily stepping out in need....in faith.... to believe for answers greater than my knowledge… to desire miracles bigger than my experience… to reach out to people I can’t help… to pray for those I can’t heal.... to ask so much of God on a daily basis that I can’t manufacture, fake or excuse His response.
I want to actively rely on God. I want to master the lost art of need.
How about you? Do you need enough?
There are 4 comments.
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The Comments:
Wow, Kat, one of your best postings! Maybe the hormones that come with these last days before giving birth are helping you be more sensitive to the human condition 
I especially liked this:
“In America, it seems that we do everything we can to avoid need. We study and learn and work so that we won’t need our parents. We save for retirement so that we won’t need our children.”
I think that the word that sums up our need to do this is pride- I know for me, it’s not that you don’t trust they won’t care for you, it’s more that you don’t want to sink so low as to ask them.
Have a great day!
Mar 21, 07 at 01:11 pm
You know, often I wonder what people do without a church family. It works very well having other’s who actually care about you that have varied expertise. If all your friends work with you… you know and do the same things… but with “the body” you have access to plumbers, mechanics, advertisers, musicians…
and if we’re living in Acts 2 church where we give to each other as we have need… it’s a scary-awesome situation that many don’t have..
... and my #3 is coming in April too… GULP
Mar 21, 07 at 07:23 pm
I actually have a really hard time “needing.” I am much more comfortable being independent. When I have been in situations where I have needed help and someone has helped me, it has brought me so much closer to them. It’s strange though because I absolutely love to be needed, and to help others. I think I have to reach a level of comfort, trust and closeness with people before I can ask for help.
Dave Carrol~ my husband’s home church is very much this way, we always had someone who could help us in some way from a Tax guy who’d do our taxes, to a hair stylist, to a carpenter...etc. I really do agree with you.
Mar 21, 07 at 11:05 pm
Dave Haupert,
Pride....that’s definitely true. In our culture, independence and pride in one’s own self sufficiency is so highly valued and prized that we’ve gained it at the expense of community.
Dave Carrol,
Congrats on your new little bundle! Looks like we’ll both be a bit sleep deprived for the month of April!
I really like our church because it’s a small group focused church and while I don’t know everyone in the whole church, I have very strong relationships with the people in our small group and they’ve become such a valuable support system for us. I know many people don’t have that network of friendship or that level of trust with others. I’m truly grateful.
Kristin,
I’m the exact same way. I love to help and to be needed, but when it’s my turn to need I find that I do everything I can to manage on my own.
“it has brought me so much closer to them.”
Very true.
Via the Feed
Dave Haupert
Mar 21, 07 at 07:21 am