Spiritual Stagnation Sucks

One heart posture to help you get unstuck, but be warned, it hurts

Photo by: Young Yi

Happy Thursday, my friends. How are you doing today?
January is nearly wrapping up, can you believe it?

It’s been a season of transition for the wifey and I, filled with some pockets of rest, but the majority of the time, we find ourselves quite busy. Especially Hannah.

The other week, she was asking me for things she needed. It seemed as if these requests were coming from left, right, and center.

Non. Stop. Requests. Sheesh.

Of course I did what all great husbands of history past have done when their wife barrages them with requests of every shape and kind:

• I over-exaggerated how many requests were being made.

• Muttered under my breath, “why can’t she just do them herself?”

• Muttered again, “I thought she was an independent woman … why do I need to get her another glass of water?!”

• Finally, I made the remark, “you’re so needy!”

I know. Husband of the year. Follow my lead, men.

Jokes aside, has anyone ever made that statement about you? Whether in your face or even worse, behind your back?

“You’re so needy.”

It stings a bit, doesn’t it?

I find it ironic when followers of Jesus say this to or about others in their lives because wasn’t neediness the very thing that led us to accept the invitation Jesus extended to us?

I often say the height of our spiritual experience in life is the moment we go from, “death to life”. Because how could you beat that?! You can’t! It’s the moment we genuinely accept the invitation to follow Jesus’ ways and yield to His Lordship over our lives. And yet, though the beginning may be the height, we also find ourselves at an infancy stage of following Jesus’ ways. It is both in the state of spiritual death before accepting Jesus’ invitation and in this infancy stage we come to terms with the neediness deep in our souls.

Unfortunately, I think neediness tends to be a trait where Christ followers believe they need to graduate from as they grow in spiritual maturity. But the reality is, neediness is a heart posture we never graduate out of. It is a posture that grows, as our relational depth with Jesus also grows. A paradox of sorts in our spiritual life with Christ Jesus.

King David, though a troubled and sinful man in his own rite, was also deemed by God as, “a man after my own heart”, says this about himself:

“As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!” - Psalm 40:17

Neediness is a beautiful heart posture that will constantly and consistently bring you to the feet of Jesus, into the arms of the loving Father, and sanctification driven by the Holy Spirit.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your spiritual journey with the Lord, consider this question:

How do you perceive people who are needy?

Sometimes pride, ego, self-sufficiency, ideologies (pull yourself up by your bootstraps, anyone?) - a ton of things speak loudly (like a grouchy husband) against being needy and can be the source of our spiritual stagnation. Often, with the people I talk to about neediness, they project their feelings about needy people to how they believe God sees themselves when they are needy toward Him.

Annoying.
Tiring.
Exhausting.
Always crossing boundaries.

Yikes.

How terrible would it be if God viewed us like that? Thankfully He doesn’t.

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” - Jesus, Matthew 11:28.

The last several years, this passage has been read, taught, and memorized by millions around the world with reference to slowing down and resting (thanks John Mark Comer). But it also speaks to Jesus’ heart toward those of us who are exhausted and who don’t have it all together. Perhaps the most needy people in life are those who are not just lacking resources, but those who Jesus speaks to here: the weary and burdened. Unable to enact their own will because of a lack of strength, willpower, and ability. It is the weary and burdened who are needy and Jesus’ reaction is not disgust nor annoyance. Rather, it is an invitation to come to Him with the needs that arise from being weary and burdened and He will give us deep, soul-level rest.

Praise God for that.

As you grow in Christ, I pray neediness would grow hand-in-hand.
As branches, may we stay in consistent need of the vine, for sustenance and strength. As people whose “hearts are prone to wander”, may we cling fervently in desperate need to the anchor of our souls.