After I realized that everyone is needy, I started to see things around me at the need level.

A Vicious Cycle

Around this time, I was taking over the instruction of several yoga classes for a teacher who was moving away. It was a great opportunity, but I was wrought with worry and anxiety. I spent a lot of time whining to Derek that the the students didn’t like me as much as their old teacher. I had myself so worked up that I started to think I wasn’t cut out for this teaching thing after all.

One evening, in a quiet moment before class, I had an epiphany – I was so worked up because my needs to be known, to be understood and even to be loved were not being met.

As I started to think about what It would look like for my students to meet those needs (e.g., they would shower me with praise and adoration), I quickly realized how ridiculous it was to expect that.

But, the unmet needs were still there, and they were impairing my ability to be a teacher worthy of the love and respect I craved. It was a vicious cycle.

A Map Home

Hopeless tears were sliding off the cliff of my chin, when it hit me – these needs that we are all hard-wired with, they are a map imprinted on our soul, pointing us to the One who can meet every need. They lead us to Him, our living, moving, loving God.

In that moment, I surrendered those needs at His feet. “Here I am, Lord, pressing into you. Draw me close. Fill me up.”

And did He ever!  He filled me up to overflowing! And He does today, every time I ask. It is out of that abundance, that I am equipped to respond to the needs of those around me.

Have you found yourself trapped in vicious cycle of unmet needs? Have you followed the map home and pressed into the Architect of your soul for
comfort? I’d love to hear your story.

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