What Our Heart Needs

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” – John 4:13-14

It doesn’t matter who we are, the cry of every heart is to be loved and accepted, and only God can satisfy this longing within. When we look to “people” or “things” for what only God can give, we’ll always end up disappointed. Many of us (probably more than will admit) are walking around with holes in our soul. We’ve all been hurt and disappointed in life, and it’s common for us to try and fill these empty places with something other than God. And yet, no matter what we’ve gone through, we all have a God-shaped void only He can fill. He alone is what our heart needs.

Looking to “something” or “someone” other than God causes us to unwittingly open ourselves up to more pain and emptiness. Signs that we’re looking to “someone” to meet a need in us that only God can meet are:

• offense
• rejection
• loneliness

We’ll often feel offended and rejected by people when they don’t meet our expectations, when they haven’t said or done something we think they should, or when they haven’t given us the attention or affirmation we crave. We’ll often deal with loneliness because we’re looking to connect with someone in a way that they’re incapable of. Our spouse, parents, or even someone else who loves us very much cannot take the place of God in our lives and it’s unfair to expect them to do so. When we find our fulfillment in God alone, our relationships will only improve and become healthier because we stop placing impossible expectations on them. And, we’ll be able truly enjoy what we do receive from them as “extra” because we’re already filled with God.

Signs that we’re looking to “something” to meet that need instead of God are: 

• idolatry
• exhaustion
• addiction

When we pursue things to satisfy us our focus is placed on something it’s not meant to be on. These things become idols because they take God’s place in our lives. We become exhausted pursuing these things because we’ll always need more and more to feel satisfied which can also lead to addiction. Whether it’s – a substance, approval from others, material things, money, shopping, recognition or anything else…It will NEVER be enough.

Friend, you and I were created for God alone. Only He can fill the holes in our soul and truly make us WHOLE. Only He can satisfy us. Everything else is a cheap substitute. In fact, there is no substitute for a relationship with God. We’ll come up empty, disappointed and hurt every single time.

Recently, while shopping a woman that worked at the store came over and asked me if I needed help. In the midst of our casual conversation she made a comment to me that caused my heart to hurt for her. Her comment was very telling and reflected the pain in her heart. She got called away to help someone else after that, but when I left the store the Lord kept bringing her to my mind. A few days later, I was driving and I felt that God wanted me to go to that store again and give her a message from Him. The Lord has done this a handful of times in my life and when He does the feeling is so strong I’m confident it’s Him. I didn’t even know if she worked that day or how I would get to speak to her privately in her workplace, but if God said to go I was going. So I went, and she was there and there were so many people in the store, both customers and other workers. I didn’t see any way I’d get to speak to her privately, so I just prayed quietly as I looked around and suddenly she approached me in a part of the store that was away from everyone else making it possible to share the message the Lord wanted her to hear. I said exactly what God told me to say which was, “God sent me here today just to give you this message. He wants you to know that you are beautiful to Him inside and out. He sees your heart and He wants you to know He loves you.” She got tears in her eyes and I could almost see her heart absorbing God’s love. You know, she may have been blessed, but so was I because it reminded me of how much God loves us. He’ll use anything or anyone to let us know just how much.  His love for us is relentless. He’s always pursuing us and looking for ways to reveal Himself to us. Friend, this is how much God loves YOU.

As I’m writing, I’m reminded of how Jesus also went out of His way to speak to a woman who needed a touch from God. Jesus wanted the Samaritan woman to know that she didn’t have to chase after people or things anymore. He offered her what her heart truly needed – Himself. Jesus didn’t tiptoe around the Samaritan woman’s issues, but cut to the very heart of the matter:

The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” – John 4:17-18

Five husbands and a live in boyfriend… Do you think she was trying to fill a void? Looking for love and acceptance? Trying to fill an empty place in her heart? Jesus helped her to acknowledge her pain and lack and then offered her the solution: 

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” – John 4:13-14

Friend, this message is for you and me today. We too can partake of this living water by drinking deeply from the well of our relationship with Him, allowing Him to meet our innermost needs. There’s no mistake too terrible, pain to great, or obstacle too big, for God’s love to transform. He loves us just as we are and He’s there waiting with open arms to heal what hurts and satisfy what longs to be filled. We don’t have to chase after or settle for anything less ever again. Jesus is EVERYTHING our hearts could ever want or need.