Clingy Is The New Cool

 

When Clingy Is The New Cool

Ever been told you’re “too much”? Too loud. Too extra. Too needy. Too emotional. Too clingy. Maybe you’ve heard it from friends, family, or even that voice in your own head telling you to dial it down, to take up less space, to not depend on people so much. Maybe you're the friend who reaches out for help but feels like you're imposing. Or maybe you’ve felt the weight of society’s message: needing others is a weakness. In today’s world, we’re taught to be independent, self-sufficient, to not rely too much on anyone—especially not on God. But what if we’ve got it all wrong? What if the real strength comes from being clingy, not to trends or other people’s validation, but to Jesus?

Let’s flip the script for a bit. Here’s the truth: with Jesus, you are never “too much.” You can’t overwhelm Him. You can’t scare Him away with your needs. You don’t have to shrink yourself or pretend you’ve got it all together. He loves you exactly as He finds you. And His love is too good to leave you there.

The Vine That Clings

This Flip The Script reflection is inspired by Pastor Joseph Prince's sermon, "Make Jesus The Center Of Your Life" who shared a powerful revelation about John 15:1-4:

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

That part that says “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away” is the kicker. For years, people have interpreted that verse as God removing those who fail to “produce” and we’ve gotten stuck with the expectation to ‘do better” or risk getting cut off.” Scary, huh? But Pastor Prince shows us that in the original Greek version of that verse where the English was translated from, the words “takes away” are actually one word, airo, a word which means “to lift up.”

To make this flip experience make sense, let’s time travel back to the time when Jesus was still walking the earth as a human, because that was the cultural context when John 15:2 was written. Back then, the illustration of a vine growing in a vineyard was a common understanding. A vine isn’t like a tree—it can’t stand on its own. It clings. It needs support. When a vine falls into the dust, it can’t bear fruit. That’s why the vinedresser doesn’t cut it off; he lifts it up and secures it on a trellis—usually in the shape of a cross—so it can grow strong and fruitful. God isn’t looking to cut you off when you struggle. He’s lifting you up. He wants you to cling to Him, not because He needs it, but because you do. Because that’s where real life begins.

The Shape We Cling To

I love the idea that the trellis on which the vine clings is usually in the shape of a cross. I love this because it gives more depth to our understanding of what it means to cling to Christ. It’s not something abstract. It’s that daily process of directing our hearts to the trellis—His Cross. To cling to something means to hold on tightly to it. Being clingy means “relying too much on someone for attention, validation, or emotional support, often leading to a fear of being alone or feeling insecure without constant reassurance.” In relationships, this is usually seen as too much—too needy, too attached, or overwhelming.

But with Jesus, there’s no such thing as being too clingy. He actually wants us to depend on Him completely, knowing that His love never fades, and He will never push us away. Instead of seeing clinginess as a flaw, we can flip the script and realize that clinging to Christ is the best thing we could ever do. The only way we’re able to do this is by looking at how He already demonstrated His love for us—by His sacrifice on the Cross. The Cross is the object of our clinginess. It’s the shape we cling too. It’s not just a mental reminder that He died for us on the Cross as a demonstration of His love, it’s holding on tightly to that truth and what it means for us, because that truth is the surest thing to wrap ourselves around, cling to and entwine ourselves with. This is what our lives are all about and this is how we’re changed.

Created To Cling

In today’s world, people can make you feel like you’re too much—too clingy, too loud, too emotional. Maybe you’ve held back from expressing your faith, hurts, or hopes because you don’t want to seem “extra.” But here’s the truth: with Jesus, you are never too much. He actually wants you to cling to Him. The same way a vine needs to hold onto the trellis to thrive, you were made to hold onto Christ. You’re essentially created to cling to Christ. Sweet, right? This is your very own permission to be clingy. #CreatedToClingToChrist

Think of it like your phone and a charger. You can have the best apps in your phone and the highest specs, but if your battery dies, all of that means nothing. Staying connected to Jesus is like staying plugged into your power source—its how you stay charged, alive, strong, and full of purpose. The world may tell you that needing someone makes you weak, but in the kingdom of God, dependence on Jesus is what makes you strong. When you cling to Him, He lifts you up, prunes away what’s holding you back, and makes your life fruitful in ways you could never achieve on your own. Just like you’d think it’s weird that someone’s phone battery was dead but they don’t want to charge it because the phone is too clingy to the charger? That’s how crazy it is to feel like you don’t want to be too needy with God and you want to be on your own and cut God away also.

Clingy? Literally.

The Bible literally talks about how by faith in Jesus’s sacrifice, we are now members of Jesus’ body – members of His flesh and bones (Ephesians 5:30). Scriptures also talk about how God’s word is life to the person who finds it and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:20-22). As literal as these sound, that’s how literal your connection to Christ is and the impact of God’s word on your life – spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Christ is our home (scripture for this). He is where we rest (Mathew 11:28-30). He is where we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Not embracing our connection to Him and leaning into Him, not clinging to Him, is why we wound up feeling down and depressed in life. It’s our souls way of saying we miss Him because we’re not clinging to Him. You were created for this. As necessary as air, food and water are for survival, that’s how our connection to Christ is. As we cling to Him, we experience what David did when He wrote: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul (Psalm 23:1-3).

Wallowing in the Dust vs. Rising in Grace

Ever felt stuck in the dust—worn out, unseen, depressed or condemned? The enemy wants you there. In the Old Testament, Israel’s greatest enemy were the Philistines, and their name literally means “wallowing in the dust.” That’s what the devil wants—for you to feel like you’re not enough, that you have to clean yourself up before you come to Jesus. But Jesus says otherwise. The expression of guilt and shame in biblical times was putting dust on your head. But Jesus took your condemnation. He doesn’t want you groveling in the dirt of self-doubt and insecurity. He lifts you up because He loves you as you are.

Just as the vinedresser lifts up the vine that’s struggling on the ground, that’s how God lifts us up and causes us to cling and wrap around Jesus. Just as the vine can’t thrive, grow or bear fruit if it’s not supported or held up, similarly, our connection to Jesus isn’t about being weak; it’s about receiving life. A vine, once lifted and properly supported, can grow stronger and more fruitful. Likewise, when we cling to Christ, we’re not just relying on Him for support—He’s nourishing us, helping us grow into the fullness of who we’re meant to be. He doesn’t want to cut us off when we’re struggling. He wants to lift us up so we can rise in grace and bear good fruit.

Clingy? Good. Cling to Jesus.

In a world that makes us feel like being “needy” is a bad thing, we’re scared of holding on too tightly, of depending on someone too much. But the irony? The ones who try to do life alone often end up the most lost. The world often teaches us that we should avoid being needy—especially emotionally or spiritually. But let’s face it: we all need something. The difference is, who or what we depend on. The unhealthy clinginess comes when we rely on ourselves, people, trends, or things for validation, fulfillment, or strength. These things will always let us down.

But when we cling to Jesus, we find a wellspring of strength, peace, and purpose. Jesus actually wants you to cling to Him. He loves it and finds His greatest joy in being with you, saving you and helping you. In John 4, He was so tired and was resting at a well while His disciples went to get some food. While He was there, a woman came to Him who was really longing for love and was searching for it in all the wrong places. She was needy, clingy. How do we know that? She had been married 5 times and at the time Jesus met her at that well, was living with a guy who wasn’t her husband. So what does Jesus do? He speaks to her and offers her the love she had been looking for but didn’t know she needed—a love that made her come alive, a love that nourished her and refreshed her and healed her and lifted her up.

Guess what? After her conversation with Jesus, she felt so alive and excited that she ran back to town to tell everyone about Jesus. By the time the disciples came back to give Jesus some food, He was so rejuvenated that He told them that He had food to eat that they didn’t know about and His disciples wondered if anyone had given Him food while they were away. I imagine he looked so refreshed that He actually looked like He had eaten and was full of life and energy! Just a while ago, He was literally tired though. Now, he wasn’t. So what had changed?

He Loves It When You Cling To Him

Someone came to Jesus and clung to Him and He got to pour out His love and lift her up. Can you imagine feeling more energetic and excited because someone who needed your love came to receive it? I can’t imagine that. But that’s our Jesus! He is our Saviour. Saving us and loving us s His job description and He loves His job a lot! He’s the friend who never gets tired of you, never rolls His eyes at your constant messages, never tells you to “chill.” Over and over, He calls you His own (Hillsong, As I Am). He sees it all—your fears, your failures, your worst days—and He still wants you. He’s always there, offering more than enough.

So let the world call you clingy. They don’t get it. The secret to real strength, real peace, and real fruitfulness is in clinging—not to the world, not to people’s validation, but to Jesus. He loves it when you cling to Him. This week, lean into your relationship with Jesus. Cling to Him, and let Him lift you up. Cling to Him, and watch how He lifts you up. #CreatedToClingToChrist.

I saw this article that delves deeper into the idea of how a vine clings and how that reflects our relationship with God. I think it will bless you. Check it out here.

Not yet in the fam?

God is a good Father who loves you so much and wants you to be part of His family as His child. He offered His only Son, Jesus Christ, to pursue your heart and save you and bring you into the family. All you need to do is to receive His love and you can live in it and enjoy it for the rest of your life. Will you receive it? Then please say this prayer:

Father in Heaven, I thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, to save me from my sins and give me eternal life. I believe in my heart that Jesus died for my sins, He was buried and on the third day, He rose again, to make me right with you. I declare that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour. I thank you that I am now saved and I'm a member of your family. I ask that You fill me with the Holy Spirit and help me to know You more. In Jesus' name, amen. 

Welcome! 

If you said this prayer for the first time, you're now a child of God and I am excited that you are my sibling in Christ. Welcome!!! 🥳There's a whole party going on in Heaven right now, on your behalf, like the excitement over a newborn baby. Will you please reach out to me and let me bless you with a resource that will help you get started on your journey of faith? Click here to do so. I love you and can't wait to meet you.