Short Answer
Both matter—but first, we must recognize that we need God, and that realization leads us to truly want God.
The Overview
The question of needing God versus wanting God highlights two related but distinct realities. First, every person already needs God, whether they acknowledge it or not. According to Scripture, God is the source of life, breath, and everything we have. Without Him, we could not exist or function even for a moment.
Acts 17 explains that “in Him we live and move and have our being.” This means our very existence—our thoughts, actions, and abilities—are sustained by God. Even those who deny Him still depend on Him completely.
However, while everyone needs God, not everyone wants God. Many people live independently of Him, ignoring or rejecting His presence. The difference between a believer and a non-believer is not need—but recognition. When someone realizes their dependence on God, it leads to gratitude and eventually to worship.
Wanting God goes deeper—it reflects a desire for relationship. It means seeking to know Him, understand His will, and grow closer to Him. This desire is built on the foundation of recognizing our need.
So the two are connected: need leads to gratitude, and gratitude leads to desire. When we truly understand our dependence on God, we begin to want Him—not just for what He gives, but for who He is.
Key Takeaways
- Everyone Needs God
Our life and existence depend on Him. - Not Everyone Wants God
Many ignore or reject Him. - Recognition Changes Everything
Realizing need leads to gratitude. - Gratitude Leads to Worship
Thankfulness draws us closer to God. - Wanting God Is Relational
It’s about knowing Him personally. - Need Comes First
Desire grows from understanding dependence.
Bible Verse Mentioned
- Acts 17:28
- Romans 1
- Psalm 24:1
Read Full Raw Transcript
Cindy. Should we need God or want God? I think both, but do you think God has a preference? How do we view that correctly? That’s an interesting question. Should we need God or want God? Both. I think it’s both. You said you think it’s both. It is both. Here’s the thing, Cindy. I don’t care if you think you should need God.
You do need God. Here’s what it says in acts chapter 17. In him we live and move and have our being right. He gives us life and breath and everything else. There’s two phrases from acts 17. And so, Cindy, you just type that out on on YouTube. You type those letters out, right? Should we need God? You type that sentence out, right?
A monkey could not do that, right? A caterpillar couldn’t do a butterfly couldn’t do it right. A horse couldn’t do it. You did that. How did you do? How did the synapse in your brain send signals? Write down your your your spinal cord down your arms and properly get your fingers to do that. Or your thumbs. If you were on your phone, how did.
How did that all happen? How did that work? Right. A flower couldn’t do it. A rock couldn’t do it right? God, right is empowering you. He’s giving you life and breath and your neurologic system. To do that, you need God, or you can’t even ask the question. You can’t live another day. Or is it says in Colossians, Christ, right, the second person of the Godhead, he holds all things together, right?
He is the he’s the cohesion of the of the universe. You can’t do this without him, right? Every atheist needs God, or he doesn’t have a chance to sit around and mock God. He can’t sit there with his bourbon and his cigar saying that God doesn’t exist. He can’t exist without God. So yeah, you need God. Everybody needs God.
Here’s the thing. Most people don’t want God. Every atheist needs God, but they don’t want God. Every agnostic needs God. But they think they don’t even want God because they don’t think they need God. Everyone needs. So to understand that you need God, right? Leads you to Thanksgiving because you realize I guess I should need God. And then if I know I need God, man, I’m going to start to be thankful for God actually providing what I need.
Because everything that we have, right, that’s good is coming from God, and therefore we become worshipers, right? This is what Romans chapter one is all about. We recognize the truth about God and that he’s the underlying cohesion of the universe. He gives us everything and therefore we right. We are led to give thanks. The non-Christian doesn’t give thanks.
And that really is the difference between those who recognize God and those who don’t. Right. Here’s what it says in Scripture. Right. The fullness of everything in this planet belongs to God, right? The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and all the people that dwell in it. That’s what the Bible says. So wanting God then is saying, I want to know God.
I want to know God. I want to God. I’d like to understand what he thinks. I’d like to understand what he wants. I’d like to be more knowledgeable and closer to God than I’ve ever been. So there are two basically different things, and I think one is predicate to the other one. One is the foundation for the other.
And they’re kind of different in that regard. And I guess you wouldn’t ask the question if you didn’t think they were different. Cindy. So that’s a profound question. It’s a good question. And, man, I’d like to talk more about that question.
