Faith Involves Your Brain.docx

8/11/2019 Faith Involves Your Brain.docx

1/3

Faith Involves Your Brain, Too

How to survive with an intellectual faith in an emotional church.

I dont like devotional books.

I rarely get swept up in emotional worship experiences.

And as much as Ive wanted to be the girl who sings with her arms raised, eyes closedand heart full of joy, I just end up fixated on whether or not Im flashing sweaty armpitsto everyone around me (spoiler: I probably am).

For years, I participated in small groups and Bible studies feeling like there must besomething wrong with me. I couldnt connect to the kind of devotional, emotionalspirituality so many of my friends seemed to enjoy; and most of the time Id rather study

the details of Pauls arguments about justification than meditate on a Psalm.

Then I came across an essay by C.S. Lewis called, On the Reading of Old Books, andit completely changed my perspective. For my own part, I tend to find the doctrinalbooks often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, Lewis wrote, and Irather suspect that the same experience may await many others. Years of worry that Iwas unspiritual or a bad Christian began to melt away. Lewis continued:

I believe that many who find that nothing happens when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of

devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough

bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hands.

Swap the pencil for a laptop and the pipe for a beer and hed nailed my experienceexactly. But if C.S. Lewis of all people was on my side, why did it seem like we werehanging out alone?

THE AMERICAN CHURCH HAS DONE AN

EXCELLENT JOB OF CATERING TO A

DEVOTIONAL OR EMOTIONAL STYLE OF

SPIRITUALITYYou see, the American church has done an excellent job of catering to a devotional oremotional style of spiritualityand thats a good thing! But its also a bad thing, becauseit leaves a lot of us, the ones for whom nothing happens when we try to grow closer toGod that way, out in the cold.
http://www.theelliots.org/Soapbox2008/OntheReadingofOldBooks.pdfhttp://www.theelliots.org/Soapbox2008/OntheReadingofOldBooks.pdfhttp://www.theelliots.org/Soapbox2008/OntheReadingofOldBooks.pdfhttp://www.theelliots.org/Soapbox2008/OntheReadingofOldBooks.pdf


2/3

This is a shame, not only because of the feelings of frustration and inadequacy it cancause people like me, who dont fit the devotional mold, but also because Jesus showedHe was more than capable of loving and ministering to both of these spiritual styles.

Remember Mary and Martha, the sisters of Bethany? These women were on theopposite ends of the emotional-intellectual spectrum of spirituality. When Jesus came toraise their brotherLazarus,each sister met him with the exact same lament: Lord, ifyou had been here, my brother would not have died. But Jesus does not respond tothem identically.

To Mary, He gives emotional comfort, openlygrieving with her.He doesnt explainHimself or the circumstances; He simply weeps with her. She seems content with this;an explanation is not what she seeks.

To Martha, however, Jesus offers intellectual comfortthrough teaching.When Marthasays But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask, shes not justmaking a statement; shes challenging Jesus to fix her situation. And Jesus challenges

her in turn, pushing her to examine the depth and source of her faith. Though tearswere what Mary needed, just weeping together would not have helped Martha.

Mary is emotionally comforted by Jesus empathy; Martha is intellectually comforted byHis word.

The story doesnt present either spiritual style as better than the other; it presents aSavior who can love and use them both. As the corporate body of Christ, we must havethe same adaptability. So what does that look like for intellectual types in the modern,

American church?

Dont be scared to speak up.

If you want to study some heavy theology instead of another devotional book, say so! Iwas afraid for years to tell people that devotional-style books didnt resonate with me,because I thought I was the only one. But Im not; and youre not; and Im betting thateven those who have a more emotional spirituality would be up for trying somethingnew with you.

Figure out new ways to participate.

THOUGH IT MAY BE A NATURAL HUMANTENDENCY TO DO SO, WE NEEDNT VALUE

HEART OVER HEAD (OR VICE VERSA!)

If the current roles available at your church dont fit with your spiritual gifting or style,create new roles. For example, if you dont feel comfortable leading an emotional prayer
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011:1-46&version=NIVhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011:1-46&version=NIVhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011:28-36&version=NIVhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011:20-27&version=NIVhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011:20-27&version=NIVhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011:28-36&version=NIVhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011:1-46&version=NIV


3/3

time, ask if you could instead read and briefly explain a passage of Scripture which isrelevant to the topic at hand.

Practice emotional spiritualitysometimes.

Its important to engage in spiritual practices which work for you, but for those of us onthe intellectual end of the spectrum, theres a real risk of emotional disengagement. Justas we have a unique perspective to offer our more emotionally oriented friends, so weneed to learn from them. It may feel strange or awkward, especially at first, but Jesusnever said following Him would be easy.

Extend grace to people you dont understand.

Though it may be a natural human tendency to do so, we neednt value heart overhead, Mary over Martha (or vice versa!). Both have important contributions to make tothe body of Christ. There aredifferentkinds of service,but the same Lord, who is as

deft with Marthas challenges as He is with Marys tears.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12

Documents

Faith Involves Your Brain.docx