“The truth is, following God is not a one-way ticket to the mountaintop, and it never has been. No one can camp at the summit for long. . . . Our nervous systems are not created to sustain that level of emotion. None of us can, not under any circumstance. . . . No matter what we do to seek euphoria, the joy, joy, joy, joy down in our hearts is not here to stay.”- Catherine McNiel
In Chapter 9 (When Feelings Faded”) of Mid-Faith Crisis, Catherine McNiel reflects on her childhood Sunday school experience. Looking back, she would’ve preferred a more honest marketing about the Christian life. A more authentic invitation to discipleship than sugar-coated songs like ‘Apple-Red Happiness’ offered.
Because there’s a second, more vulnerable layer to the myth of faith as a shield against suffering, illness, and death. That second layer? Our longing to feel that everything is okay, that we’re okay. Above all, we believed it, and not just in a transactional way.
However, Catherine observes, after a few dozen trips around the sun, most of us have encountered a different truth. On occasion, it appears that God’s emotional benefits are stingier than expected. Certainly, most of us didn’t ask God for wealth, prosperity, or popularity. While we know those requests weren’t in the contract, we did count on the fruit of the Spirit.
Hence, Catherine notes, in reality we catch glimpses of God’s presence — sometimes, maybe. But we rarely find double-fudge fulfillment.
In conclusion, Catherine counsels:
“We can fake it, of course. . . . We can learn how to put on a holy smile, show a falsely perfect self . . . and general dream-come-true reality to the Christian world. If we don’t, they’ll know we’re unworthy.
But by putting on this mask, we lose our last great hope of finding something real, something that could turn us toward lasting peace and well-being; we’ve traded the experience of being known and loved by community for the hope of being tolerated by a community because they like our false happy smile.”
Today’s question: Do you believe that following God is a one-way ticket to the mountaintop? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Lights lighting the dark road”