the only 2 things we need in life

i will never forget 3 years ago in my "schools of counseling class" the professor, whom i still greatly admire and respect, said that there are two fundamental emotional needs that people possess throughout the course of their lives--acceptance and significance. everything else you can probably think of is wrapped up in those two concepts. try love, thoughfulness, loyalty, genuineness, generosity, and they all fit within the confines of what i believe those two words embody.

these two words my professor explained back in my days of undergrad studies continue to stick with me. as i attempt to more deeply understand friends and family, become familiar with new people, work towards helping my clients, and go through understanding myself, i see the truth in this acceptance and significance. i am enduring finding clarity in the mire of this muddied life, even right now. seriously, how do i find a balance in my life of feeling accepted and significant? the ultimate conclusion is Jesus Christ. He will unconditionally accept me for exactly who He has made me to be and repeatedly remind me of my significance. i am His child who He went so far as to surrender His life for. i dont know what more He could do to demonstrate how important and significant He finds me. there are so many other ways that i see that i am accepted and significant in Jesus' eyes.

the balance remains to be deciphered though in how well i feel accepted and significant in the eyes of the community around me. (people thrive when in community with those they are valued by and so obviously this is important.) as i endure different seasons and transformations in life, i do find myself pondering this concept, but right now, it is clear that i am not sure how i feel about it right now. i assure myself that Jesus, in His faithfulness, will bring me wisdom and answers in time, but for now, i struggle to gain understanding to the mystery of how to personally have those two most vital needs met--acceptance and significance.