State of Dysfunction
JOHN 4:1-42
Now every time I have ever heard this story, the preacher almost always focused on 1 of 2 things:
1. She's a Samaritan. Jews don't have anything to do with Samaritans.
2. She's had 5 husbands.
Now what's crazy is I went and read a bunch of commentaries on this text, and at least 90% of the said that this woman committed adultery or that she was a prostitute. This is where I have a problem. I read so many versions of the Bible (shoutout to Bible Gateway for making it super easy. Somebody tell them to sponsor me 😉) and nowhere does it say that she committed adultery. She was trying to meet a need.
Fun fact--I have a bachelors in psychology so I kinda get off on learning about people and the mind. A lot (if not all) human motivation is derived from a desire to satisfy a need. It's supported by at least 2 theories I know off the top of my head
1. Sigmund Freud's Psychosexual Theory
2. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Freud's theory says that certain behaviors happen because 1 of 5 psychosexual stages were not completely satisfied. So, smokers, for example, smoke because of the need to fulfill the oral stage.
Maslow's theory is similar. There are 5 stages--
1. Physiological
2. Safety
3. Love and belonging
4. Esteem
5. Self-actualization
Originally, the theory said that if a lower level was not met, then you couldn't move to the next level. Then, he said that people may fluctuate through levels depending on life experiences. Now you're probably reading this saying "Briana, what does that have to do with me?" The reason I bring this up is because we all have needs.
Have you ever met someone who will put themselves down just to get a compliment? They have a need. There are people killing to be respected. There are people doing it for the gram just to get attention. When you have a need, you'll do whatever it takes.
The woman at the well had a need! She desired to be loved. That's why she went through so many men. I guess the reason I empathize with her is because I understand what it's like to just want to love someone. As much as you want them to be the one..as much as you overlook imperfections, they will not be the one. Instead of accepting what God allowed, we allow what happened to chip away at your faith. You're mad at God because something He never ordained. How that work?
Sometimes we take things so personal, and it's not even about you. You ever see somebody wave and you think it's for you, but it's really for the person behind you?It's embarrassing right? God promises us all things but He doesn't always make the same promises to everybody. Sometimes, we receive other people's prophecies because that's what we want not what God wants for us. We get mad at God but He never promised us that.
So we find ourselves trying to meet our own needs.
JOHN 6:63
The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
We find ourselves in a perpetual place of need and lack. It reminded me a lot of myself. For yall who didn't know, I am a serious foody. However, when I stopped making as much money, there was a time I literally wouldn't eat because I didn't have enough money to go grocery shopping. So my body got used to me being broke. That actually is bad for you so my body went into a state of dysfunction. It went into survival mode. Your body is trying to hold on to the little bit of life.
JOHN 10:10-12
We don't have to struggle like that. God is Jehovah Jireh. Whenever I pray, I always thank God for being Jehovah Jireh. He provides all of my needs--not just material or physical needs. He's a friend to the friendless, a mother to the motherless, a father to the fatherless.
PHILIPPIANS 4:19
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
That's why He told the Samaritan woman that she'd never thirst again. Jesus met her need. She didn't have to go to Charles and Ray Ray to meet her needs--Jesus did it.
I don't know what your need is, but whatever it is wouldn't be a need if you would just choose God. Once you do that, you have a right to everything He has to offer.
JOHN 1:12
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
PSALM 34:9-10
Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
You are His child. Have you ever been in a place where all you wanted to do is see your mama and daddy? I remember being in college and I just wanted to go home. I was so stressed and all I wanted was to be at home in Augusta. I couldn't do it alone. I needed my mama and daddy. Even now I find myself running into COP every chance I get because I need my spiritual mama and daddy.
Deuteronomy 8:3
Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Psalm 42:1-2
God we need you! I'm like Jazmine Sullivan in the spirit
I NEED YOU BAD AS A HEARTBEAT
BAD AS THE FOOD I EAT
BAD AS THE AIR I BREATHE
I NEED YOU BAD I CAN'T EXPLAIN
I'M ABOUT TO GO INSANE
I NEED YOU
Now every time I have ever heard this story, the preacher almost always focused on 1 of 2 things:
1. She's a Samaritan. Jews don't have anything to do with Samaritans.
2. She's had 5 husbands.
Now what's crazy is I went and read a bunch of commentaries on this text, and at least 90% of the said that this woman committed adultery or that she was a prostitute. This is where I have a problem. I read so many versions of the Bible (shoutout to Bible Gateway for making it super easy. Somebody tell them to sponsor me 😉) and nowhere does it say that she committed adultery. She was trying to meet a need.
Fun fact--I have a bachelors in psychology so I kinda get off on learning about people and the mind. A lot (if not all) human motivation is derived from a desire to satisfy a need. It's supported by at least 2 theories I know off the top of my head
1. Sigmund Freud's Psychosexual Theory
2. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Freud's theory says that certain behaviors happen because 1 of 5 psychosexual stages were not completely satisfied. So, smokers, for example, smoke because of the need to fulfill the oral stage.
Maslow's theory is similar. There are 5 stages--
1. Physiological
2. Safety
3. Love and belonging
4. Esteem
5. Self-actualization
Originally, the theory said that if a lower level was not met, then you couldn't move to the next level. Then, he said that people may fluctuate through levels depending on life experiences. Now you're probably reading this saying "Briana, what does that have to do with me?" The reason I bring this up is because we all have needs.
Have you ever met someone who will put themselves down just to get a compliment? They have a need. There are people killing to be respected. There are people doing it for the gram just to get attention. When you have a need, you'll do whatever it takes.
The woman at the well had a need! She desired to be loved. That's why she went through so many men. I guess the reason I empathize with her is because I understand what it's like to just want to love someone. As much as you want them to be the one..as much as you overlook imperfections, they will not be the one. Instead of accepting what God allowed, we allow what happened to chip away at your faith. You're mad at God because something He never ordained. How that work?
Sometimes we take things so personal, and it's not even about you. You ever see somebody wave and you think it's for you, but it's really for the person behind you?It's embarrassing right? God promises us all things but He doesn't always make the same promises to everybody. Sometimes, we receive other people's prophecies because that's what we want not what God wants for us. We get mad at God but He never promised us that.
So we find ourselves trying to meet our own needs.
JOHN 6:63
The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
We find ourselves in a perpetual place of need and lack. It reminded me a lot of myself. For yall who didn't know, I am a serious foody. However, when I stopped making as much money, there was a time I literally wouldn't eat because I didn't have enough money to go grocery shopping. So my body got used to me being broke. That actually is bad for you so my body went into a state of dysfunction. It went into survival mode. Your body is trying to hold on to the little bit of life.
JOHN 10:10-12
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.
We don't have to struggle like that. God is Jehovah Jireh. Whenever I pray, I always thank God for being Jehovah Jireh. He provides all of my needs--not just material or physical needs. He's a friend to the friendless, a mother to the motherless, a father to the fatherless.
PHILIPPIANS 4:19
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
That's why He told the Samaritan woman that she'd never thirst again. Jesus met her need. She didn't have to go to Charles and Ray Ray to meet her needs--Jesus did it.
I don't know what your need is, but whatever it is wouldn't be a need if you would just choose God. Once you do that, you have a right to everything He has to offer.
JOHN 1:12
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
PSALM 34:9-10
Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
You are His child. Have you ever been in a place where all you wanted to do is see your mama and daddy? I remember being in college and I just wanted to go home. I was so stressed and all I wanted was to be at home in Augusta. I couldn't do it alone. I needed my mama and daddy. Even now I find myself running into COP every chance I get because I need my spiritual mama and daddy.
Deuteronomy 8:3
Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Psalm 42:1-2
As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
God we need you! I'm like Jazmine Sullivan in the spirit
I NEED YOU BAD AS A HEARTBEAT
BAD AS THE FOOD I EAT
BAD AS THE AIR I BREATHE
I NEED YOU BAD I CAN'T EXPLAIN
I'M ABOUT TO GO INSANE
I NEED YOU
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