Cling to God, Not to People

Scripture Focus: Psalm 73:25
“Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.”

Relationships are a gift. From the very beginning, God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). We were designed for connection—family, friendship, fellowship. But even good gifts can quietly slide into dangerous places in our hearts when we begin to lean on people for what only God can give. The shift is subtle. One thoughtful message can cheer us more than a promise from Scripture. One sharp word can steal our peace faster than prayer restores it. Without noticing, we begin to orbit around people—checking our phones, replaying conversations, measuring our worth by someone else’s reaction.

We rarely say, “This person has become my idol,” but our patterns sometimes tell the truth our lips won’t. Whose attention do I crave most? Whose silence troubles me more—God’s, or a human’s? Whose opinion can undo an entire day for me? Our souls were made to cling, and if they are not holding fast to God, they will cling to someone or something else.

Jesus shows a different way. The Gospels often mention Him slipping away from crowds, from needs, even from those closest to Him, to be alone with His Father (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16). He loved people perfectly, yet He did not anchor His identity in them. The center of His life was not public approval, ministry results, or the nearness of friends. It was uninterrupted communion with His Father in heaven. If the sinless Son of God lived that way, what does that say about our own need to be rooted in God first?

This isn’t just for couples, or singles, or a certain stage of life. Whether you are surrounded by people or walking through a very solitary season, the same truth applies: no human being can bear the weight of being your source. Even the best relationships can only ever be channels; God alone is the Fountain. When we expect people to do what only God can do—heal our emptiness, secure our identity, steady our emotions—we put impossible pressure on them and end up disappointed ourselves.

Our time is noisy with connection: notifications, messages, comments, comparisons. It is easy to give our sharpest attention to people and offer God whatever scraps are left. But a heart that lives on secondhand affirmation will stay restless and easily shaken. Psalm 73 is the cry of a soul that has learned, sometimes painfully, that nothing and no one can take the place of God: “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.”

Reordering our clinging does not mean loving people less; it means loving God more, so that our love for others is finally freed from desperation. When God is first, people become blessings, not lifelines; companions, not saviors. The more we seek Him, the less we demand that others hold us together.

So reclaim your focus. Begin the day not by scanning who has reached for you, but by reaching for God. Let His Word have more authority than someone’s mood. Guard a quiet place in your life where no one else’s voice enters first. Learn to notice when your heart is leaning too hard on human reassurance, and gently turn that longing Godward: “Lord, be enough for me here.”

When we cling to God first, we are finally able to hold people with open hands—grateful, but not enslaved.

Reflection Questions:

1. Have I allowed anyone’s opinion, presence, or absence to hold a place in my heart that only God should occupy? How can I tell?
2. When I feel emotionally “off,” is it more often because of someone’s reaction—or because I have drifted from fellowship with God?
3. What patterns or distractions most often crowd out time alone with the Lord—scrolling, constant messaging, overcommitment, comparison? What is one small change I can make this week to reclaim that space?
4. Can I remember a time when God met me deeply in a season of relational loneliness, disappointment, or misunderstanding? What did that teach me about His sufficiency?

Prayer Prompt:
Dear Father, Teach my heart to cling to You above all. You know how easily I lean on people for the comfort, security, and affirmation that belong to You alone. Forgive me where I have put human approval in a higher place than Your Word. Draw me back into the quiet place with You, where my worth is settled and my peace is restored. Deepen my love for You, so that my love for others flows from fullness, not from need. Order my relationships according to Your will, and let my connection with You be the foundation under every other bond in my life. May I be able to say with the psalmist, “Whom have I in heaven but thee?” and find that it is truly enough. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If this devotional stirred your heart to follow Christ more closely and to walk with purpose, take the next step in His Word—“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11). Keep your eyes on Jesus and let Scripture dwell richly in you day by day.

👉 Sign up for the free FAST Crash Course in Bible Memorization: http://fast.st/cc/21419