A thought by Henry Cloud, from his
book, Changes That Heal (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on
the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
You might ask, what is bonding?
Henry says, “It’s the ability to
relate to another on the deepest level. When two people have a bond with each
other, they share their deepest thoughts, dreams, and feelings with each other
with no fear that they will be rejected by the other person.”
Later Henry says, “Bonding is one of
the most basic and foundational ideas in life and the universe. It is a basic
human need. God created us with a hunger for relationship—for relationship with
him and with people. At our very core, we are relational beings.
“Without a solid, bonded relationship,
the human soul will become mired in psychological and emotional problems. The
soul cannot prosper without being connected to others. No matter what
characteristics we possess, or what accomplishments we amass, without solid
emotional connectedness, without bonding to God and other humans, we. . . will
suffer sickness of the soul. Nothing grows anywhere in God’s universe apart
from a source of strength and nutrition. The Bible frequently pictures growth
using plants. Think about how plants grow. They must be connected to something
outside themselves. The stalk is connected to the roots, which in turn are
buried in the soil where they draw moisture and nutrients up into the stalk;
the stalk is also connected to the branches, which are connected to the leaves,
which catch the sunlight and transform its radiant energy into a chemical
energy that feeds the plant.
“Probably the most well-known passage
using this plant imagery is found in John 15 where Jesus says, ‘I am the vine,
you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit,
because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is
thrown away like a branch and withers’ (vv. 5–6 NRSV). In verse 12, Jesus
points out the importance of our staying in relationship to one another: ‘This
is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.’”
Henry then says, “Without such
connectedness to God and others, we will slowly wither and die, just as a branch
cut off from its vine.”
Because of this “lack of emotional
connectedness," many are led into depressions so bottomless that they cry out
for help. Does this resonate with you
about yourself or someone else? You
realize don’t you that we really do need each other?
Comments
Post a Comment