Wholeness: Want VS Need

Want and need, two words with very different meanings. Yet, we still manage to get these ideas transposed. I started this series because I believe we truly NEED wholeness, yet neglect to pursue it because we are too busy chasing our mere wants. Without wholeness, we will never experience peace and contentment. Without wholeness, we will never achieve true holiness. Without wholeness, we will never find our genuine purpose. Yet, we often mistakingly believe our wants will give us at least some of that. Yet, our wants are often so impatient and superficial; and fueled more by feelings than spirit. So how could holiness and purpose ever be fulfilled through want? Any peace we find via want will be temporal at best, and will often lead us down the path of the sinful nature of the flesh, and in extreme cases the hedonistic paradox. Which is ultimately a path towards emptiness. A concept King Solomon lifted up the book of Ecclesiastes.

Most importantly, our ability to discern the want from need comes down to maturity. For example, a growing child NEEDS plenty of protein in their diet for their developing organs, yet that doesn't stop them from WANTING only candy. Our spiritual needs are not much different, what is good for the soul, and instant gratification is rarely the same thing. Even when we consciously know this, we still have a hard time following it. We currently live in an age that follows the mantra of "People should be able to live the way they WANT, without consequence." The phrase itself reeks of emotional immaturity. Yet, as often as we see people placing mere WANTS ahead of basic physical necessities, only seems to prove it. Such short-sightedness tends to bring betrayal with it since want doesn't consider how our actions affect others. Repeated betrayals inevitably invites retaliation, since want favors vengeance over forgiveness. So how can want ever be free from consequences?

Do you really understand the distinction between want and need? Do you really comprehend where our spirit and flesh play into that? With all that being said, will you explore the idea deeply by examining the brokenness behind our immature wants? Or will you merely try to alter your surface behavior yet again?

The Visual PARABLEist  

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you NEED them. -Matthew 6:31-32

“Our longing for life keeps confusing us about the purpose of life.“-John Eldredge

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? -Romans 7:14-24