Being needed

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”  Genesis 2:18  NIV

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. 
1 Corinthians 11:11-12

I've always wanted to feel needed.
Desired.
Craved.

Like someone really wanted, needed, and desired to be with me, so much so that my absence made a very real difference.  Like this person couldn't or wouldn't live without me.  

In America, we're often encouraged not to feel this way.  Be independent.  Be complete and whole on your own.  In fact, two should come into a relationship with NO NEED FOR EACH OTHER AT ALL!  They should have such "high self-esteem" and independence that the other person, whether friend or spouse, is just a nice addition to someone's life.  But not by any means necessary or significant! 

At least this applies to relationships with any kind of depth or commitment.  Girls can hang out all night long, laughing and giggling and patting each other on the butt.  Boys can go out drinking.  This group of girls and boys can completely ignore each other, until...they can't!  One in the group usually gives in.  One usually caves in and admits what God said from the beginning.

He admits that it is really not good for him to be alone.  She admits that she is not independent of a man.  That she does NEED a man!

Need.

Loneliness is considered weakness.  We either should be very content in our own company, or in shallow company.  Yet the shallow company betrays the truth:  We need relationships to feel alive.

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."  Proverbs 17:17

It is not wrong to need to be needed.  God Himself saw that Adam needed Eve.  And by definition, Eve needed Adam.  She would not have come into existence without God taking one of Adam's ribs. 

The first man and first woman mutually needed each other. 

Adam had GOD. 

Why would God say it was not good for him to be alone then?  The answer shows the foolishness of people saying we should be content with God alone.  God Himself disagrees with this.  Of course, no one can be God to us.  But I reverently say that God "couldn't be" to Adam what He made Eve to be:  a creature equal to Adam, like Adam.  Adam was like God, but God was not like Adam. 

Eve's significance came from this very thing:  She was the ONLY ONE who could be Adam's complimentary companion.  And Adam was the ONLY ONE from whom Eve could come into existence. 

All of my life I've searched for the one I needed, and the one who needed me. 
I found her.  She found me.  We need each other mutually. 
Without her, on earth, I am alone and lonely.  This is the blessing of family.

For those who are not yet married and who want to be, God understands and honors the fact that you feel lonely.  He is the very first person to honor this aloneness.  He will meet this need and bring you someone who needs you.