We All Have The Need To Be Known
Despite our diversity, uniqueness, and variety of worldviews, we all have a deep desire to be known and understood. It’s a fundamental part of feeling that we are loved. We all want to feel like the people in our life “get us.”
“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything.”
Author Tim Keller
The Beauty Of Being Known And Loved
Sometimes it can be hard for others, even our closest friends or family, to do this. There are some situations and experiences (both good and bad) where even the best intentions can’t help the people we love to understand what we’re going through. Ofetntimes, we get so confused we don’t even know how we feel, to be able to share it with others! Yet God always understands.
“I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence.”
Psalm 139
God is not a distant stranger. He knows our every emotion, our deepest fears and our hidden dreams. He understands the complexities of our unique personalities. The longer I’ve lived overseas, in a different culture where it’s easy to feel disconnected from ‘home’, the more I appreciate that I am truly loved and fully understood by God.
He Knows Your Name
I’ve often pondered what the sound of Jesus’ voice will be like – especially when He speaks my name. What tone would He use to call me if I could hear Him audibly? Would my first name be accompanied by my middle name? Because we all know that means trouble. Would it be gentle? Maybe it would sound natural and comfortable?
“From the time we are born, every human being has the need to hear our names, the need to find favor.”
Author Tim Keller
As we know from scripture, Solomon went a little overboard with the women. Seriously, seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Where was his wisdom when he made those decisions? Do you know that when he was born the text tells us the Lord loved him and sent the prophet Nathan to call him Jedidiah, which in Hebrew is Yedidya, meaning friend of God? (See 2 Samuel 12:24-25)
Father God is all knowing. He knew Solomon was imperfect and would lead an imperfect lifestyle way off the mark of holiness. And knowing everything about the future, He still called him friend.
You’re Certainly Not The Only One
We all have a need to be known. We often want the stage, the social media followers, the Facebook likes, the blog subscribers, the big house, the major cash flow. All of these point to one things: we need to be known. I believe God puts that longing inside us, but we have a way of distorting it.
We should be asking ourselves some questions: Who do we long to know us? And why? The longing to be known should begin and end with Jesus. He knows the number of hairs on our heads. We seem to do a great job at using that verse to remember the power of His plan for us, but do we give Him permission to know the intimacies of our lives? He knows everything anyway, but if we don’t give Him permission then He can’t work inside us.
Feelings Of Not Being Known Often Lead To Anxiety And Depression
We all need someone to listen to us, to validate what we’re thinking and feeling, and to offer us perspectives that align with God and His word. Life Training Christian Counseling has been distinctively Christ-centered in our methods for over fifteen yerrs. All of our counsel is held to the authority of scripture. And our focus is to help each client work on the deeper parts of what’s going on in their lives, not merely the symptoms or effects.
All of our counselors are ordained Christian ministers as well as Certified and Licensed Christian counselors through the National Christian Counselors Association. We are able to help you find freedom from the struggles in your life and relationships. Our specialities include helping individuals who are dealing with shame, anxiety, depression, or marriage issues in ways that honor God and value the individual. We are highly prepared to woek with pre-teens, teens, adults of all ages, and couples – whether married, engaged, pre-marital, or just dating.
Please click on this link to learn much more about how our Christian counseling in Louisville, Kentucky can help you become a more authentic follower of Christ, and help you find freedom from whatever you may be struggling with. We offer convenient sessions at our office in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as online counseling via Zoom or FaceTime. Contact us today at 502-717-5433, or by email at drdave@lifetrainingcounseling.org