Searching For Our Significance

  We all want to feel important, we want to feel that someone cares, but most of the time we are so busy taking care of someone else, we somehow lose what it is that makes us feel important.  Women especially, have a difficult time with this one.  By the way that guilt twinge your feeling just reading about feeling important, proves my point.  True or False:  We all have compelling God-given needs for love, acceptance, and purpose. The answer is TRUE....seriously, its true.  How we get those needs met is the important part.

Sorry to say that a lot of the time we have the "wrong thinking" attempt to meet our needs for success and approval in a couple of ways.  The first I can relate to and I still have to be aware when I'm in the mode...its called compulsiveness.  Its a sneaky little thing, it looks so innocent. Here's how I do it, see if you relate.  Appearance:  I am constantly concerned that I will not look like I should when doing almost anything....what's my hair doing, am I looking hippoish, will I look foolish, overdressed, not casual enough...o.k. you get the picture.  Ever buy something new to wear while in this compulsive mode just to make yourself feel better?  Or how about a down day? You know the kind of day when you just don't like yourself...funny how the car just happened to drive by my favorite fabric and hobby store.  Before I know I am carrying a bag of really cool fabric to add to my collection...this thing called compulsiveness can get to a place that can endanger lives, cause family break ups..you know what I mean if you have ever watched the show Hoarders.

The other broad category is withdrawl.  Avoiding failure and risk is the #1 objective. When we withdrawl we are usually trying to avoid failure and disapproval by avoiding risks.  Withdrawling also causes us to gravitate towards people who are comforting and kind, skirting relationships that might demand vulnerability and the risk of rejection.  Withdrawlers seem to be very easy going, but inside they are usually running from every situation or relationship that might not succeed.

Most of us exhibit a combination of the two behaviors at some time or other...how do we find that significance we're looking for?  We have to learn that God is our source of security.  God is the basis of our worth.  God is the only one who promises and will never fail. 

It really doesn't matter what others think, when we know what the Lord says about you and me!