Deepest Desire

People are an interesting enigma. As soon as you think you have them figured out they surprise you. I've come to realize that it takes more than a lifetime to truly know a person. When I say know a person I am not talking about knowing what a person likes for dinner, though that is part of it, but to deeply know that person. Knowing what their strengths and weaknesses are, knowing their walk with God, knowing what makes them happy, knowing what makes them sad. Their are so many things to know about someone that we couldn't possibly learn it all in a day, a year, a lifetime.

The most difficult thing about people is that they change. Every day there are things in our life that change us. If we do not interact with someone for a few days we have missed all those little changes that have influenced who they are today. There are surface things that change such as disliking broccoli to it becoming the all time favorite vegetable. There are deep things that change. Many times the deep things are gradual but sometimes they are sudden. I look back on my own life and it seems to have sharp  corners of things changing. One day I was reading books that shouldn't have ever crossed my eyes and in an instant God opened my eyes and I stopped reading them. But then I look even deeper and there was ground work. That change wasn't as sudden as I first thought. First there was an early on conviction, and then another, and a very specific one, and then finally Jesus won my heart. I look back and the 13 year old me is so very different than the 24 year old me. Looking back I don't know if we even have that much in common. That is off the topic though.

I believe that each one of us has a desire to be deeply known; I know I do and I am pretty positive that I am not alone. We want so much for someone to desire to spend the time to get to know us. We want them to dig and figure out what makes us tick. I think that we are afraid to let someone truly know us so we put up walls so that they only see what we want them to see. Rejection hurts so much and if someone knows certain things they may stop wanting to know us and that hurts. When we stop trying to learn who someone is we really stop loving them. Maybe I'm wrong but I think that a part of unconditional love is being committed to knowing someone and not rejecting them no matter what you find. 

It is really a strong commitment because people change so much and if we aren't paying attention then we will miss out on who they are becoming.We could see someone every day and even talk to them every day but not know a single thing about them unless we are actively trying to know them. Knowing someone takes a lot of work. If it is a one sided effort it can be very hard on the person who is trying to know someone and that person is preventing the other person from knowing them or aren't interested in getting to know that other person.

The only one who can truly deeply know us is Jesus because He knows the depths of our hearts. He knows our weaknesses and our strengths. He sees our trials and our victories. He is with us every moment. Each of us is searching for the deepest lasting friendship and we want to find it in a human companion but no matter what they can not fill that need. No matter how much we get to know someone it is never enough there is always layer upon layer but Christ know us deeply and He can fill that longing. I want Him to fill that longing in my own heart.