Dependence Or Independence

As human beings we like to have our independence. We like to know that our destinies are in our own hands and that we are in total control of our lives. Then when we mess up or when life throws us something that seems impossible for us to handle, we blame God. We weren’t serving God, we didn’t want anything to do with Him, and we were embarrassed to say we knew anything about Him. But, when things take a bad turn in our lives, the first thing we do is blame God. “Where was He? Why didn’t He stop this from happening? If He is such a loving God, why wasn’t He there for me?” The fact that we had been living outside of His umbrella of protection does not even seem to register with us. Philippians 3:19 speaks of these people. “They are doomed and their fate is eternal misery; their god is their stomach (their appetites, their sensuality) and they glory in their shame, siding with earthly things and being of their party.”
God does not want us to be living apart from Him. He doesn’t want us to attempt to live this life on our own. He wants desperately to be a huge part of our lives. He knows us. He created us. He knows what we need and what we desire more than we do ourselves. He wants us to be in a beautiful relationship with Him where we can turn to Him for great wisdom, knowledge, comfort, and care. He wants us to be dependent on Him. He wants to take our lives and make something so beautiful out of them. He has great wisdom- beyond what we could ever have on our own. He wants to impart that great wisdom into us so that we can live great, satisfied, exciting, fulfilled lives. John 7:37-38, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
I try to begin my day with prayer. I talk to God about how today I am dependent on Him. I tell Him my concerns and tell Him that I am waiting on Him to solve this or that. I want things done His way because then they will be done in the most perfect way.
Dr Larry Crabb says, “Each of us has what I like to call a Hollow Core in our personality, a central part that is empty but yearns to be filled.” God has made you to be in relationship with Him. If that is not happening, there will be a yearning inside of you to fill that empty space. What do people fill it with if they are trying to do life on their own without God? Drugs? Alcohol? Sex? Work? Money? Popularity? The problem is nothing is going to truly fill that longing in their souls except for that personal relationship with Almighty God. All of these other things end in emptiness and sadness. God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die for you so that you could be saved and be in Heaven with Him. No one has ever loved you so much that they would die for you. God has done just that. The Bible tells us that He has numbered every hair on your head. This is how well He knows you. I encourage you to stop running from Him and from trying to do this life in your own strength. Ask Jesus to come into your heart. Renew your mind with His Word and with prayer. Depend on Him to help you live this life well. You will be so glad you did!!