People today often say “I need…”, believing that as long as they say what they need, others must fulfil their needs. A popular view suggests that if our emotional needs are not properly met, we may be scarred for the rest of our lives. This view also imagines each person’s heart is like an empty cup, waiting to be filled. But is this really our situation? Our physical needs such as food, water, and medicine must be met or else we will die. But if we also consider things like playing games, scolding people, relaxing, enjoying, putting ourselves first, and self-fulfilment as needs as well, then it is too far off.

Perhaps first we should understand how we are created.

We are made in the image of God. God’s image is of great glory. We are not made with emotional thirst. This is our original state of creation, but how do we explain our “needs” and our “hurts”? When Adam and Eve sinned, sin entered into the world, and changed the entire course of human race. We no longer have the beautiful image that God created. We are still the image bearers but that image is twisted and covered with shame. Many things and ideas have actually changed into our own desires and wants. We no longer want to show God’s glory, but our own glory. We mistake our selfish desires for needs, and pursue the things that fulfil us.

At the root of it, we do have needs, and this need is God. We need God, because we are reflections of the image of his glory. We need God because He is the source of life. We need God because we are his creatures and He knows the best for us. We need each other, not to fill up our emotional cups, but to learn to live a life of love and harmony in order to reflect the glory of God. We need God because we have spiritual needs.

This view – that we are all people carrying the image of God, not empty cups – can change our attitude when we are facing difficulties in life, to turn towards the Almighty God and see our own spiritual state clearly. The Gospel of our Lord Jesus is not for us to live a better life, a comfortable life or fulfil our lusts and desires, but that we may live a life that glorifies God.

Winnie Chan, Local Preacher
Wesley Methodist Church, Sibu