[Deeply Rooted] Our Dwelling PlaceChikamu

Dependence

The truffle is a delicacy that is now widely enjoyed by casual diners across the world. We have truffle fries, truffle pastas, and all kinds of other truffle-flavored dishes. What some people may not know about the delicious truffle is its humble origins. Though truffles elevate the flavor (and the cost) of many dishes, the truffle itself is found in low places. In the dirty, damp roots of the forest lies the little culinary treasure so many of us enjoy.

When we think about it, most treasures are like that—buried in hidden, dark, and obscure places. And those are just the temporal treasures of this world. How much truer is this of spiritual treasures, then? Certain gifts in the Christian life are found in the darkest places. One of those gifts is dependence. This may seem counterintuitive for many of us who live in a culture that celebrates the rugged individualist and the self-made man, or woman, but dependence on God is an important part of the life of the believer. And often, it’s in times of suffering that we truly embrace dependence on God in our lives.

One of the beautiful things about dependence is that it opens the door to a deeper and more intimate fellowship with God. In our dependence, we are able to embrace our identity as children of God. We can more fully experience the care, patience, provision, and love of our heavenly Father. It’s tragic that not all of us have been parented well. But, even if we have to imagine a healthy parent-child relationship, we can picture a child that is secure, at peace, and confident in their parent’s love. That’s how we can be, too, even in the most challenging and trying seasons of life. We can see the storms around us and still trust that our Father has our best interest at heart.

Many of us resist dependence. We may feel it shows weakness or is a sign of immaturity. Perhaps we feel like we bother God when we come to Him with our needs and our requests for help and guidance. But the truth is, God invites our dependence on Him. All through His Word there are invitations for us to come to Him with our weariness, our burdens, our needs, and our desires. Far from a bother, our dependence on God is pleasing to Him.

Thought of the Day: Putting my trust completely in God may feel scary or uncomfortable, but today I will do my best to grow in my dependence on God. He is a good Father who cares for His children. He invites me to lay my burdens on Him. Today, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.