I have heard this comment made numerous times about not wanting to "over-spiritualize" a given decision or world happening. Usually people say it when they are concerned that they might sound foolish thinking that God might be involved in their life decisions or in world happenings, natural or otherwise. Primarily, the phrase is used for situations that seem too minor or too obscure for God to be involved. "I don't mean to over-spiritualize or anything, but do you think it was God's will for Doug Mirabelli to catch Tim Wakefield in the first Sox-Yankees game of 2006?"
But it has me thinking. Is that possible? I mean, can we over-spiritualize anything? Are there aspects of our lives in which we need to cut back on our interaction with God, both in terms of understanding and expectation? Where do we draw the line, then? Where do we cut God out and where do we keep Him in the mix? Does God care what you eat for lunch today? Does he have an impact on the traffic you'll sit in on the way to work today? Does He have an impact on where you'll work today, what job you'll have next year? How much is He a macro God in charge of all the big stuff and how much is He a butterfly effect God?
Donald Miller says in Blue Like Jazz Chapter 17 Worship: The Mystical Wonder
"It comforts me to think that if we are created beings, the thing that created us would have to be greater than us, so much greater, in fact, that we would not be able to understand it. It would have to be greater than the facts of our reality, and so it would seem to us, looking out from within our reality, that it would contradict reason. But reason itself would suggest it would have to be greater than reality, or it would not be reasonable.
When we worship God we worship a Being our life experience does not give us the tools with which to understand. If we could, God would not inspire awe.
You cannot be a Christian without being a mystic. " For larger excerpt go here.
I guess my point is this: isn't it a slippery slope to de-emphasize the spiritual, mystical aspect that God brings to our lives? Aren't we then on the road to "under spiritualizing" our decisions, choices and world events?
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6 comments:
Drew,
Interesting question. When I think of the over-spiritualization of things, I think of those people who try to use the spiritual as an excuse not to move on in a decision or use the "God spoke to me directly" or "I am not feeling a peace about it" defenses on a regular basis to defend obviously bad choices in their lives, or no choices in their lives. When they fail to make a choice then they chalk it up to that must not have been the will of the Lord. That sounds more like kharma than faith to me.
I do believe in waiting on the Lord, but when Isaiah talks about those waiting on the Lord in his great verse "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength" the verb he uses is like waiting on tables or being so expectant you have your bags packed for a trip. You have everything prepared to move, not to be stuck in the muck of our own indecision.
So in that way I think you can over-spiritualize things. I do not believe that we can replace the mystical with pure logic. I think that has been the downfall of modern evangelicalism.
still chewing on this one.
I agree with Larry... there are a number of times that I wonder if we should be moving forward in faith as opposed to sitting around waiting for a direct word from the Lord... Never thought of it in terms of kharma before, but I like that challenge - thanks for the translation lesson on "waiting".
I'm reminded of my Dad quoting often that "some people are so earthly minded that they're of no heavenly good... but some are so heavenly minded, they're of no earthly good." Not sure of the deepr theological ramifications of that, but I believe there is some truth in there somewhere.
I also once read (can't remember where, and I probably won't do the illustration justice here) an illustration picturing Adam and Eve trying to decide what to have for supper... Which fruit should they eat? Which one was God's will for them at that particular supper hour? The illustration went on then to comment that God had only specified any regulations (or even his will) concerning one type of fruit in the garden, that he had given them an intellect, taste preferences, variety and choice... The question was posed: was it God's will that they eat a specific fruit or that they simply have a healthy meal that they enjoyed, within the boundaries he had place?
God's ability to work through our "random" choices and still accomplish his will in, through and around us, is mind-blwoing to me.
Or am I over-spiritualizing things?
Ah, this one is kind of a hot button with me. Larry and Kevin have hit on some of the points I often make when conversation turns to topics like this. I think we trap ourselves into "seeking God's will" when a decision is either a) inconsequential to God's will, law, redemption, righteousness and effectiveness in our world or b) abundantly clear from the commands of scripture.
The first trap has recently been summarized for me in the fear that "God can't do anything with me and that God can't do anything without me". The first part of the fear derives from the notion that I am a lowly worm beyond fixing. The second part derives from the idea that unless I, though perfect seeking, determine God's extraordinarily specific will for this moment, the earth will spin off its axis.
I do think that when making large life decisions - occupational, vocational, marriage and family - that God shows mercy to us by speaking very clearly about the fork in the road. This may be through a word or through a confident feeling or sense, like the peace that Larry mentions. I believe this kind of message from God comes in response to our honest supplication and intention to take a decisive action. And I believe we feel peace when we know God enough to know his commands, to know that he created us and loves us and wants what's best for us and when we have seen his hand at work in our lives in previous difficult patches.
The best scriptural example I think of is Micah 6. Many people know the punchline, but the setup is that God "has a case against his people". The people virtually rend their clothes asking God what he wants? A thousand rams? Ten thousand rivers of oil (we've got those...for now)? My firstborn?
God replies: Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.
Sometimes over-spiritualizing things is an excuse to over-complicate things. Where the line falls between what is spiritual and what is not, I can't say precisely.
I've wandered rather far afield from the original post. God didn't care that the Steelers brought the Lombardi trophy home, but I met it made Him smile.
While I don’t disagree with most of what has been said above, I also don’t disagree with Drew’s take on over spiritualizing things. For me, I mostly hear the phrase “I don’t want to over spiritualize this” or, more regularly, “I don’t want to get too spiritual here” when trying to relay the message that we don’t want to make something sound really important that isn’t all that important.
I think it’s a humility thing.
I've been thinking about this some more... I think there is a balance to find and live by: Although I think it may be possible for us to see God's hand in things a little too much (who wins the big game... when both sides are praying to win...), but at the same time I believe there are spiritual messages and lessons to learn that can be drawn in almost any circumstance... if only in a modern day parable fashion.
I'm not a person who looks for angels or demons or the hand of God in every situation and circumstance, but I do believe he can speak and lead us into truth and work through any situation.
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