Would I be God’s Dependent?

According to the law department at Cornell University, a dependent is “an individual who relies on support from another individual and usually cannot exist or sustain themselves independently without the aid or support of someone else.” (1)

For all of us with children still on the feed bill, we understand the depth of this definition and are grateful for the tax break we often get while these dependents are under our roof. But I want to pose a question for each of us who claim to be sold-out believers of Jesus:

If God filed taxes, would I be His dependent?

This question has taken up space in my head for months. I think of Matthew, chapter six, where Jesus reminds His disciples that He provides for the birds and takes care of nature. If He goes out of His way to care for these intricacies in the grand scheme of the world, won’t He do the same for His favored children? I can imagine Him speaking and pointing to the sky as a dove flew by. Then turning to a tree, holding the bloom in His gentle grasp, and inhaling the sweet aroma.

Oh, to trust God with nature’s simplicity. He waters the field and provides sustenance to His creation. He knows what they need before they know to seek it. Why don’t we trust our Father like the birds and flowers?

Why Don’t We Trust?

Honestly, it’s hard to trust someone I can’t see. Even though I have tons of head knowledge, comprehending the magnitude of God is unfathomable. My heart knows it, but my finite mind struggles. I see Him come through on my behalf again and again, and yet, I still question and wonder if He’ll do it again.

Other times I hold too tightly to the things I can touch and see. My job, and the income it provides, drive my decisions instead of the Lord. The need to take control and make my own way overrides the desire to seek God for direction. I forget that all these good gifts came from Him. And selfishly, I think I’ve got my life in good hands—my own.

But the biggest piece of this “lack of trust puzzle” comes down to pride. Most of my days could happen without consulting God on His direction. I am at the center of my world. My mind. Physical strength. Common sense. Social skills. Gifts. Abilities. While I know deep down these are all gifts from above, selfishly I claim them as my own accomplishments and push my way through any situation. Instead of seeking “God things” I settle for “good things” and make my own choices and go my own way.

What Will It Take to Be His Dependent?

I’m reminded of Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 18:3 (NIV), “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Children believe. There’s no debating or reconciling. Their faith is simplistic, and their dependence is natural.

We were all once children, weren’t we? It may seem like a lifetime ago, but there was that blip in time when we experienced childhood. Whether our childhood was good or bad, we all had a moment in time when we were swinging, spinning in circles, or dancing with the breeze. Faith was simpler back then.

This is how we become God’s dependent. We humble ourselves as little children. No emotional walls. No worries about being judged. No comparisons or second guessing. We simply come. And climb into the lap of our loving Savior, like a toddler needing a kiss for a booboo. We bring our tears, our shame, and our scars. Because He can handle them all.

It’s really that simple. Yet completely complicated at the same time. But it only becomes complicated when we place our trust in other places and stand in our own way of true, pure, innocent faith.

Won’t you seek to become God’s dependent as you learn to trust Him more each day?

1. www.law.cornell.edu

(For more about trust: trusting in him – Inspire A Fire)

© Christy Bass Adams, October 2024, All images from Canva

Christy Bass Adams

Christy Bass Adams, is the Outreach and Connections Coordinator at Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison, Florida. She is also a writer and had her first devotional book published in summer of 2022 (Big Lessons from Little People) followed by a middle grades novel (Imagination Checkers) in the fall. Her most important role, however, is with her family as a wife of 18 years and mother to two busy boys. She worked in education for over 18 years at both the elementary and collegiate levels. Her favorite pastimes are fishing and sitting around a fire. For more from Christy, visit her blog at christybassadams.com.

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