02/07/2023
Throughout my years in the ministry, I’ve come across Christians who think the Christian life is all about holding hands, singing Kumbaya, and having a big, group hug. I’ve also come across Christians who think the Christian life is all about scrubbing floors, being duly obedient, and suffering in the name of Jesus.
Although some truth is found in both extremes, exclusive polarization leads to an imbalanced life. There are “mountain-top moments” for many Christ followers, and we rejoice in those spiritual, feel-good experiences that flood our souls. But there are also the valleys of the shadow of death, and sometimes we plod on in a spiritual morass that seems never ending.
If we are not careful, we can radically normalize either extreme which can lead to judgmentalism or spiritual despair. The 1960s’ Romantic idea, originating from Emerson and Rousseau, shaped our American psyche, that if something doesn’t feel natural, it isn’t real. Paul Miller, in his book, A Praying Life, points out that this feel-good psychology has infected our Christian worldview. He writes, “We think spiritual things—if done right—should just flow. But if you have a disability, nothing flows, especially in the beginning” (p. 228).
Life doesn’t always flow well. We often face perilous journeys, detours, and accidents. We are all disabled spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, or relationally.
Sometimes we look to Christianity as a way of escape, where we can just have those feel-good experiences that flood our soul. But if our faith rests on those existential moments, our faith will crash and burn when we come down from that spiritual high.
Likewise, if we look to Christianity as a form of penance to eradicate our guilt and shame or prove our spiritual sagacity, we will grow bitter hearts and fall victim to the dreariness of a joyless faith.
The Founder of the Christian life experienced both the joy of holding hands and scrubbing floors. He shared a mountain-top moment with some of His dearest friends (Luke 9:28-36), and He suffered in His own valley of tears (Luke 22:39-46). He taught us to come to Him when we are weary and heavy laden, for He would give us rest (Matthew 11:28). But He also instructed us to take up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34).
Remember, the Christian life is both holding hands and scrubbing floors. There are peaks and valleys, times of flow and times of interruption. And in the midst of it all, we have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and who has walked this way before (Hebrews 4:15).
