meeting needs

It’s funny how you can sit in a culture and hear tons of great stuff for two years and not let it sink in. 

At Bethel I’ve probably learned on 5 levels or so. 

1. Theological - Lot’s of amazing revelation and new ways of looking at scripture

2. Emotional/Spiritual Mindsets - Changing the way I think (which is a definition of repentance)

3. Feeling - Knowing God’s presence through experience, encounter, impression, feelings

4. Relationships - With God & People, how to communicate, confront, empower, and be myself.

5. Myself - To know Thyself…. (wow)

Some things came in and are more retained forms of knowledge/experience (theology) but some things didn’t sink in apparently and now I’m learning them. Especially the stuff about me. My mentor at school pointed out the beautiful classic phrase “Know Thyself” to me in a 1 on 1 session the other day. I am on a journey into that place and it’s a beautiful journey. I can sense the excitement of the Holy Spirit in this as well. A person who knows himself, knows his needs, and knows his passions. When he knows those things he is alive, and when he is alive, he does what he loves, and when he does what he loves, the world is blessed. 

So I must meet my needs, that’s important. If my needs remain unmet, then I become unhappy, if I become unhappy I may be open to temptation for meeting needs in unhealthy/easier ways. When I need to be with friends and have fun, I need to find someone or people to hang out with. When I need to be alone with Jesus, I need to go to that secret place and enjoy His presence. When I need to express myself, I must do things I’m passionate about, and so forth. To know thyself means to know your needs. To know what your heart is hungry for and then hopefully after awhile of self-discovery, you can develop a lifestyle and feeds and fuels your passions and needs on a regular basis… The great thing is, this will draw you closer to God, because the more you meet your needs the hungrier you become for more of God’s presence. I’ve learned that as I become more aware of my passions, my dreams, and my needs, that I realize so much of them were written on my heart by God and he often fuels the creativity and inspiration that make them come alive. But not only that, a healthy lifestyle breeds the desire to be with Him more, not as obligation, but actually as a form of recharging and refreshing and even simply being in love.

This is just me thinking out loud, maybe you have some thoughts on this?