Are you needy?

Ever been around a needy person?
They are miserable, wretched and pathetic.

Our culture strives to tell us, “You got this! You’re strong enough.”
Anyone who even hints at being uncapable of doing something is looked at with disdain. “What’s his problem?”
“Put your big girl pants on and do the job.”

But the reason the world tells us to “be strong” is because we are not.
We can’t solve the world’s problems.
And what a mess that is.
We can’t even fix our hair on a bad day.
What makes us think we can fix our problems?

We strive to be self-reliant.
We teach our children young. “Let them cry in their crib until they fall asleep. Do you want them sleeping with you as teenagers?”
(Let me tell you, they don’t want to.)
(I will spare you multiple examples of how we push our children to be self-reliant.)

But deep inside, we know we aren’t strong enough, we can't do it, we fail.
We can’t be.

Why?
It goes against why we were made.
We were made to need God.

Are you needy? Or do you need God?
The answer to those questions will tell whether your prayers are answered.

We know prayer is where we dump our problems.
We tell God what’s going on (as if He didn’t know).
Then try to fix those problems  we just gave Him.
Know what I mean?

Prayer isn’t just telling God our problems.
It’s giving God our problems for Him to solve.
But it’s more.

Prayer is acknowledging before God that we need Him.

Ever have a toddler who tries and tries and tries to tie his shoe?
You watch knowing he doesn’t have a clue how to tie anything, let alone his shoe. 
But you know better than to ask if you could help.
When he finally gets so frustrated and looks up at you and asks, “Please.”
Your heart melts when he finally asks. 
That’s what you’ve been wanting to do. 
You tie his shoe. And enjoy doing it.

That’s God and you. 
Guess which one is you.

God is a giving God.

In fact, when you look at salvation, it’s all Him.
He gave His Son.
He brings us to want Him.
He convicts our heart.
He enables us to believe what He did.
He ….

You see. It’s all Him.
We couldn't do any of those things.

Know what happens when we tell Him, “I’m just a sinner. I need help!”?
He saves us.

Know what we do in response to His gift?
We thank and praise Him!

That is what God made us to do.
And He is delighted!
Not only is He delighted, we are too!

But somehow in the Christian life, we lose that.
We think we must work harder to be better Christians.
But that working harder only brings frustration, because we can’t do it.

That’s what the Israelites found with the Law.
Life becomes just following rules.
Rules show us—they are hard to follow.
Maybe not all, surely we won’t murder.
But then Christ added that attitude of hatred being like murder, we have a problem.
How do you not hate?

We can’t do it!
We’re like the toddler trying and trying and trying.
But to be a Christian, we must live a life pleasing to God.
Those principles and guidelines are impossible for us to do.

God is waiting.
For what?
For us to tell Him, not only that we can’t do it,
But that He must do it for us.

Know what happens when we do?
He delights to help us.

Why?
Because God is a giving God.

He can’t stop giving.
Even after He gave salvation.
He wants to give us such a life as His child that delights us.
And as we are delighted by His gifts, we thank and praise Him.

See the circle?
Acknowledge our needs.
Accept His gifts.
Give Him praise and thanks.

That’s what He wants.
Somehow in Christian circles, we think we shouldn’t impose on God to ask for things.
That we should do it ourselves.
But we don’t know God.
God wants to give.

When God gives, we can do nothing but praise and thank Him. 
And by our praise and thankfulness, we are blessed more!

Why?
Because we were created to give God praise.

God thrives in helping needy people.
Because we all are!
Tell God.
And watch Him give.
But be sure to thank Him for it!

I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

Faith
Find more articles about faith here:
Dear Faithful and Loyal Readers
Life Falling Apart? Try Gratitude
A Few Words about Marriage
When Suffering Gets Personal
What an Amazing God We Serve
Response to Healthy Gaming
How Miserable Are You? Are You Happy?
The Need for Meaning Even in Pain
Reminders of What's Important
God's Unmeasurable Love
A Quarter of a Century Spent for Our Country
What Were You Thinking?
Who Are You Watching?
Boundaries for a Better Life
God's Boundaries
Memories of a Hero Mom
The Ripple Effect
How Do We Think Like Jesus
Litany of a Waiting Woman
Ever Cook a Frog?
New Year's Reminders
They Galled Her Gammy
When God Speaks
A Russian Christmas Story
Be Thankful
Be Grateful
Are You Tired of the Same, Old Thing?
  (reprint)
Laughter—Why Laugh?
Mom
Are You Disturbed?
Unity of the Brothers
Encouragements To Declutter
Do You Have Too Much Stuff?
Too Much Stress
Getting Past the Noise—The Value of Silence
Are You Scatterbrained?
How Good Are You?
Looking for Something Good To Read?
A Cup of Cold Water
I Will Trust When I Cannot See
Encouragement—What Is It?
Being in God's Presence
"Einstein and the Professor"
When God Is Silent
Do You Crave Beauty?
Using Stories to Discipline
The Danger of the Wrong Story
Using Stories to Teach Lessons
God is in charge of the future
November Dare Joy Challenge
Ungratefulness
Developing an Attitude of Gratitude
Looking for Jesus
What Do Your Prayers Reflect?
Life's Little Pleasures
Daniel—Greatly Loved by God
Take Every Thought
Jars of Clay
What Do Your Words Reveal about Your Heart?
How Do You Get Strong Faith?
Too Busy for God's Word?
How Do You Think Like Jesus?
Reflections from a Mom
Pain—What's It Good For?
Why Marry?
Consider the Robin
One Life Who Made a Difference
What Day Are You Living In?
Interrupted by God
Is Jesus Really the Answer to Everything?
Are You Beat Up?
What's Your Hurry?
Are You a Manipulator?
Are You Salty?
Are You Condemned?
Trying to Understand?
Do You Expect Answers to Your Prayers?
Do You Eat Your Stress?
Need Focus?
Going through Trouble?
Immanuel—God with Us
Looking for a Relationship?
When God Says, "No!"
What Do You Do with Left-Overs?
How Great Is Your God?
Are You Needy?
How Do You See Sin?
What Do Your Words Mean?
Is Evil Overwhelming You?
Those Aha Moments
Is Your Soul Happy?
Are You Ignored?
Looking for the God Moment
Do You Know Truth from Almost Truth?
I Believe in Jesus—What Now?
Do You Have Your "Son"-Glasses On?
Less Is More
Singing His Praise
Are You Trying To Do It All?
What Do You Do with All These Prayer Requests?
Have a Problem?
Do You Know How to Pray?
Looking for God in Every Moment
Are You Receptive to God's Blessings?
Tell the Senate: Mothers Aren't Birthing People
Is Your Life Complicated?
How Do We Fight Evil?
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Giving Up or Taking Away
the Bible is simple
Are You a Dripping Faucet?
What's Your Testimony?
The Final Move
Be Careful What You Wish For!
Are Your Prayers Answered?
I Choose Joy
What Have You Learned from Your Hardship?
Who Are You Trying to Change?
What's Your Five-Year Plan?
The Danger of "Aloneness"
My Colors
Are You a Whiner?
Are Your Works Approved?
Do You Think You're Stressed?
Is Your Soul Feeling Ragged?
God Speaks to the Heart of the King
What about the Details?
Have You Felt the Long-Suffering of God?
How Does God Lead You?
Do You Have Enough?
Don't Carry More than You Need
Cast the Seed
God Is Faithful
Are You Deceived?
Are You Essential?
Are You Safe?
Are You Tired of the Same Old Thing?
Does the World Make Sense?
Have You Seen God's Majesty?
Do You Feel Judged?
If You Only Had One More Day To Live
Are You Understood?
Do You Long for the Word of God?
Slow Down and Smell the Dead Leaves
Are You Hospitable?
Our Heritage Is Bought by Blood
Are You Disturbed?
Are You Depressed?
I Did It My Way
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
The Simple Life
Do You Have the Right Words?
Did Your Dream Die?
On the Other Side of the Fence
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
Confessions of a Desperate Mom
Saving for Tomorrow
A Wedding Remembered
Who Will Stand in the Gap?
Are You a Protector or a Ruler?
Who Are You?
Are You an Image Bearer or a Wad of Cells?
Are You a Watchman?
Where Do You Find Meaning?
The Lamb of God as Told by a Scribe
What Love Is This?
Remember: The Symbols of Passover Explained
Tea and Rest
Do You Have Peace?
What Makes a Marriage Work?
When Life Is Awful
Are You Strong Enough?
Rules
Seasons
Be Faithful through Suffering
Do You Know the Word?
Wake Up! Strengthen What Remains
Are You Spit in God's Mouth?
Is Jezebel in Your Midst?
Do You Stand Against Satan Himself?
Are You Tired of Being a Mom?
What in the World Is Happening?
It's Not My Story
How Would Your Faith Compare?
Are You Sinking?
Are You a Rule Follower?
Useful for Him
An Intimate Moment with Mary
The Worldview that Makes the
   Underclass
Thoughts to Ponder
What Does It Take To Know the
    Heart of God?
See the Story in the Stars
Do the Scriptures Burn You?
Being in His Presence
Contentment: It's Not for the Timid
How Secure Are You?
How Do You Respond To Stupid People?
The Earthworm Is My Hero
Heart Issues or Issues of the Heart
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
More faith articles are found here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Or here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Articles on Suffering can be found  here, 

under Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Special Days
Remember: The Symbols of 
   Passover Explained    
Aug 12, 2017 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
July 4th, Freedom
What Is an American Soldier?
Valentine's Day: A Day of Love?
Memorial Day-A Day To Remember
Veterans' Day-To Honor Our Men
Fall Colors
First Thanksgiving Day
    Proclamation
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs, part 2