When the paralytic was brought to Jesus, it was clear that they had come in search of healing. However, to everyone’s surprise, Jesus offered the man forgiveness of sins instead. That incident highlights the distinction between felt need and actual need. A felt need is a perceived need and is subjective to the individual’s feelings, thoughts, and experiences. It is what he believes is needed at any given moment. On the other hand, actual need is something required for survival and well-being. It is an objective requirement based on reality.

A felt need is a perceived need and is subjective to the individual’s feelings, thoughts, and experiences…actual need is something required for survival and well-being. It is an objective requirement based on reality.

It is quite easy to get things mixed up – mistaking a felt need for the real, and real need for a felt one. When the men who carried the paralytic broke through the roof and lowered him before Jesus, they believed his greatest need was healing, but that wasn’t the real need. His actual need was to first have his sins forgiven, without which any miracle of healing would have been short- lived. Without forgiveness, sin would soon take its toll and plunge the man into more severe condition. We may pour our energy and faith into chasing what we consider a felt need and still be worse off. Only God knows our true needs, so we must trust Him to do for us what is right in His sight and best for our journey on earth.