“God is enough for you.”
“All of your needs should be met by God. You shouldn’t need other people.”
“If you need others, then you aren’t being fulfilled by God.”
Many of us were taught that God is supposed to be enough. It sounds super spiritual, right? That your walk with Jesus should be so fulfilling that you don’t really need anyone or anything else.
But does that idea sound like the Word (or heart) of God? Or could it be coming from a culture that admires rugged individualism and values independence and self-sufficiency above almost everything else? (Yikes. That hurt to even type those words…)
Created for Community
When I was single, I remember feeling guilty for wanting a husband. If I loved God enough and was close enough to Him, I shouldn’t have such a deep desire for someone else.
The problem with that belief is the Bible.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam had God in fullness at a level that none of us have ever experienced. His relationship with God was perfect, with nothing blocking their connection.
But even then, God looked at Adam and said, “This isn’t good.” God saw that Adam was lonely. Adam needed more than God…and God knew that. So, God created another person.
If you think about it, we need many things in addition to God. We need food and water and shelter. We need human interaction and human touch. Sure, all of those things are ultimately from God. But they aren’t God.
Whether or not we even recognize it, we are, at our core, relational beings. God created a system in which we are to need not only Him but also one another.
In his book, People Fuel, Dr. John Townsend says:
“[God] could have made it so that we were self-sustaining little systems, spinning around in our lives without having to reach out for sustenance, support, resources, or love. But he didn’t. He intertwined needs into the way things go…”
Called to Eachother
To be clear, we need God more than anyone or anything else. But we are also hardwired to need others. We need community.
This is important to remember as we are in a month that brings awareness to those who are convinced they are alone (Suicide Prevention Awareness Month), that their burden is too heavy, and that the only way to survive is to exit this life. It’s not true, and the step that will lead them back into community is a choice of courage to reach out! Not only that, but for those of us connected to the hurting, the isolated, and the overwhelmed, it’s worth considering…What if we are called to go to each other and even need each other? And if we don’t go to one another in our need, it actually dismisses how God created us.
For some of you, this idea may be challenging. You may think you’re the exception to the rule here. Maybe you have ignored and pushed your need for others down for so long that you have grown numb to it. But might I encourage you to consider that you may not know what you don’t know?
For others of you, this idea may be validating. It helps you make sense of why you’ve felt such a deep longing for relationships and community. You were made for it.
Yes, you need God. AND you need others.
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Join us for our MercyTalk podcast series this fall, where we’ll discuss the vital role relationships and community play in our mental, emotional, and spiritual health!
Mercy Multiplied exists to provide opportunities for all to experience God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and life-transforming power. We offer multiple programs and resources online and onsite designed to equip people to live free and stay free in Christ. For more information about the services we offer, click here.
Want more resources? Check out our MercyTalk podcast episode, “Longing, Beauty, and Community: A Conversation with Dr. Curt Thompson.” For daily inspiration, follow us @MercyMultiplied on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!