The dance of dependency…
Hey guys. It’s been a while. Sorry about that. I’m sure you’ll get over it.
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On Thursday night, one of my friends posted this on Facebook:
“…I think we all hide our hurts because of some form of pride, or shame. But the feeling of shame that comes with being needy, needs to be constantly confronted. To be needy is to be human, and truly human at that…To live according to our perfect design is not to be self-sufficient, but to live in community with God and humankind: to be needy, and to be needed… To be needy, to be lonely, is almost, if I may be so bold, to be Christlike. To take part in the dance of dependency, to find wholeness in the arms of another, is at the center of who we are, just as it is at the center of who God is. Though, as the world, and our hearts, still await complete redemption, this neediness, this loneliness, remains unsatisfied - unfulfilled - if we do not turn to Him.” (Paolo Arimado, 28/7/16)
As humans, we need other people. People to love us and care for us, and people for us to love and care for. To needy and be needed. I depend on my family, both blood and Christian, for love and support, and in return, I show them both love and support. We cry together, we laugh together, we fight each others battles, and we praise God together. If I didn’t have this family of faith, I wouldn’t be writing this. My story is not beautiful or pretty. My life is more like the book of Ruth than Exodus. I’ve never seen the parting of an ocean, or a cloud by day or pillar by night. Just a normal everyday working of life.
I’ve been in and back out of depression, and now I battle with anxiety. But in all of this, I had a family. But more than a family, I had a God worth praising.
Psalm 88 is the story of a man who has lost all those around him to the darkness of his life. Despite all of this, he knows that God is the God who saves. Verses 1-2 read:
“O Lord, God of my salvation;
I cry out day and night before you.
Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my cry!”
Nothing in this world shall be sufficient to ever satisfy. There is only one who can satisfy the aching of my soul: the God who spoke and gave all things their being; the God who sustains all things by His will alone; the God who knit me together in my mother’s womb; the God who became flesh and dwelt amongst men; the God who shed His blood on the cross for my sin; the God who by rising again defeated death; the God who exchanged His righteousness for my guilt; the God who sent His Spirit to dwell in me; the God who shall return in glory to rule and judge the nations. To Him be glory and praise and honour and power now and forevermore!
So, brothers and sisters, let us take part in the dance of dependency with our great God so that we may bring Him all the glory. The Spirit writes in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Amen.