Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? – Galatians 1:10
Have you ever asked yourself whom or what you couldn’t live without? Some people may make a list of material things. Others may immediately say they couldn’t possibly live without their spouses. Still others would think of the friendships they have and how endearing they are.
All these answers are reasonable and refer to God-given blessings. However, I believe we’ve mixed up our priorities by placing more value on things and people than on God. Essentially, we have become codependent on the very things God has given us.
Codependency is a coping mechanism that enables a person to deal—albeit wrongly—with a lack he or she may feel. Perhaps there is a lack of self-worth and self-esteem or a strong feeling of being rejected. Codependency usually involves using people to fix what is broken. I call this a “people stronghold.”
God is the only One who has the power and ability to meet our needs. No one can meet all our needs except Jesus. He is the only person who is qualified for this task. The trouble comes when we insist on turning to others before we turn to Him. Throughout His Word we read about God using us in other people’s lives. However, we never read that God is pleased when we allow people and things to take His place. In fact, the opposite is true.
If you will call out to God first, He will send wave after wave of encouragement through those you love.
