so, what do we really need anyway?

If you're like me, you hear the word "need" mentioned a bunch, especially if you have kids: "I need this; I need that; I need what everyone else around me has." I call it needitis. The thing with kids, though, is that they don't discern very well between needs and wants. Usually, what they say they need is not really needed, but merely wanted! It's our job as parents, then, to help them understand the very important difference. I often catch myself doing the same thing, though, don't you? So many times, I will think/say that I need something. But it's not true. Often, it's just a want.

Did you know that if we focus too much on what we think we need that we are playing right into our spiritual enemy's hands? This is because most of the time what we think we need is merely a want, not a real need. And the more we focus on our perceived needs, the more we become self-focused and self-absorbed. Being self-absorbed is the opposite of what Jesus calls us to. He makes us an incredible promise: If we will spend our time focused on the needs of others, we will amazingly find our real needs met. That doesn't mean we'll have everything we want, but we will certainly have peace, joy and fulfillment because we are focused on those around us, which is the way God thinks. I'm not saying that we should ignore our medical conditions or deny our problems or things like that. No way! But if we stay too focused on ourselves, we'll just simply miss God. Ever see someone who is always griping and complaining about this and that? There's a reason for that: they've got needitis and are usually waiting on the world (or the church) to cater to them. Know someone who demonstrates peace, joy and fulfillment? I guarantee you that it's not because God has handed them everything on a silver platter; it's because they've discovered that their needs are met when they focus on meeting the needs of others. Needitis is a disease that we end up with by choice! So, are you choosing it?