Mysticism vs. Practicalism
So this is what I’ve been dealing with recently. And I’m just being honest. I am critical of pretty much anything mystical these days. And that’s almost antithetical to the faith and doctrines I hold dear. I am an Assembly of God minister. I believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit, complete with the initial physical evidence of speaking in other tongues. I really do believe it. This is not a crisis of faith where my beliefs are in question. My faith in God is pretty much sound. It’s my faith in people!!
I tend to lean more towards the practical side of Christianity. The cup of water is His Name kind of ministry. But I long for, and pray for, authentic moves of God, and the third person of the trinity, in my life and in the lives of those around me.
I’m only 29 at the time of this writing, so I can’t exactly say I’ve seen it all. But I have seen and experienced more than most people my age–at least what one would call “mystical.” And the sum of those “mystical” experiences have left me jaded. I have seen too many authentic moves of God to doubt His Word. The problem is…that I’ve seen too many fakes, too. There are so many screwballs out there when it comes to spirituality. It’s the mysticism that attracts them. Some of them are just trying to make themselves appear “uber-spiritual” to others. Some are trying to scam you out of money. Some, and this is probably the scariest of them all, are just certifiably nuts!! And seeing so much of this fake-ness has left me cynical. I’m to the point now where in my mind I’m daring them to prove themselves to me.
And I am ashamed.
I know my God is real. I’ve experienced Him. I’ve felt Him. I know Him.
And I know that He uses people to perform signs and wonders.
And I know that there are many bona-fide Christian mystics out there.
And what’s really concerning me is the fact that in the Bible, most mystics, prophets, and authentic people of God were indeed certifiably crazy! And everyone around them thought so. I could make a long list right here and now of many of those people. So I’m really having a difficult time with this.
Does anyone else have these issues as well? Not a set of doubts that God is real–just that people, and their mysticism, are real. Have you faced this and come to terms with it? How did you marry the mystical and the practical? Help me out with your comments and your feelings about this.