Have you ever spent so much time in church, among Christians, and reading your Bible that you feel a bit out of touch with your surroundings, personal relationship with a partner, and workplace responsibilities? This sort of thing happens when you deeply study often and are so engrossed in spiritual things that you disconnect from reality. You find yourself spiritualizing everything. There is a sign here and a message from God there and moments where all you want to be is with God and no one else. This is what mature believers describe as being so spiritually minded that you are no earthly good.
Ignorance of the world and the sinners in it may produce happy feelings for awhile, but what also occurs is a slow disassociation with reality. So when the time comes to minister to someone and listen intently to the Holy Ghost, you can't. You have spent far too much time running away from people, places and things rather than doing what Jesus did which was meeting man and woman right where they are.
So enjoy the peace among brethren for awhile, but sooner or later God is going to test you and the calling will come to leave your comfort zone. It is through those challenging trials you will need to put your knowledge into practice, not with spiritual kin, but with those lost, confused and those still in darkness. Pray that God will provide the wisdom, courage, and motivation to reach out to those who need a Savior!
Nicholl McGuire is the author of
Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic and other books.
