This coming Sunday I am bringing a message to our church on being co-dependent. Typically co-dependency is a term used to describe an individual's need or reliance on some sort of drug. As I have been thinking about connections over the past few weeks it has become more and more apparent that while many of us may think that we are completely self-sufficient and self-reliant, we need to break out of that lie and realize that from the beginning of time, we were created to work with others.
If we take a step back in time to the garden of Eden where God made the light and darkness, the air and the water, the sky and the land, the animals and man, it became apparent that God could not just create one man - even the Lord stated that it was not good for man to be alone. He created a helper - a mate - he created woman.
So why do we believe that we are better off alone?Why do we buy into the lie that says, 'I am an island' or 'I don't need anyone else'? I think the answer is simple - if God created us to be with someone - then the devil just wants to go against what God intended - he wants us to be alone, or even worse - he wants us to think that we will be ok if we are alone.
I have been reading Leonard Sweet's book, "11 Indispensable Relationships You Can't Be Without" and have been considering what Sweet calls 'Withnesses'. As Sweet puts it, these are the people who are 'with' you and 'witness' the things that you do or that God does through you.
Who are the people that you do life with? Who are your withnesses? Who do you know will be right beside you every step of your life journey? It should be an interesting week as I develop my thoughts and I will put them up here as a central depository.
So a few thoughts to begin the week - I am sure I will add more each day.
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I was one of the people who thought I could make it through life alone even though all through my primary and secondary schooling I found myself going after the wrong types of relationships and even putting on facades to fit in all through high school.
God has been so faithful when it comes to putting the right people in my life. Not just the right people, but the people who are SUPPOSED to be a part of my life. There are a lot of GOOD people out there, don't get me wrong, but like you said God created Eve as the perfect helper and mate for man therefore He knows those who will be perfect fits to our lives.
It's funny. My younger brother is teaching me that I don't have to be friends with everybody. I'm learning that "friend" is such a covenant term.
In the last two years of my life I've realized how much God has been slowly bringing me closer to the people I should be around, keeping others at a distance, and even cutting ties with some others.
These "witnesses" keep me real and speak the truth in love and the truth of the gospel. When I need a reality check, I can count on them to either give me one or encourage me to seek God and test even THEIR spirits.
I thank God for them.
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