The myth of self-sufficiency
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.” - Ecclesiastes 4:9
You know that feeling when you’re getting hungry, and dinner is still hours away? You can ignore it for a while, but sooner or later, you need to eat.
Well, you might not have developed as clear of an awareness of it, but you also have an emotional hunger. It’s your inner place of need that’s longing to feel safe, seen, connected, and loved.
This hunger can feel vulnerable and maybe even embarrassing. As men, we often try to cover it up with the myth of self-sufficiency.
Many of us like to imagine ourselves as the John Wayne type: rugged, stoic, and independent—without emotion and in need of no one else.
But needing others is part of how God designed us as humans. We’re wired for connection, and the more we ignore this hunger, the more it grows.
So, what do we do with that gnawing emotional hunger? First we need to see it and acknowledge it.
Fully taste what life has to offer. Risk the kind of openness and receptiveness necessary for the caring, nurturing, and love that we’ve often fearfully rejected.
God wants to satisfy that hunger with His love and the love of others in your life. Can you let your guard down and let Him in today?