Getting Burned out on Theology?

[Jason]

Anyone else experience this? I'm to the point in my studies where I know longer feel it's helping, and may even be hurting. The mind can really only focus on one thing at a time (though my wife would contest this) so engaging in deep theological discussions with my friends has become a distraction against the more simple things of God, especially as it relates to how I look at others. I've also found myself looking down on people with lesser theological training as though they were simpletons with no business talking about the things of God. For obvious reasons, this has left a sour taste in my mouth.

Sometimes I feel the deeper things of God are not meant to be known by us and chasing after that knowledge can, at a certain point, become an idol. I've probably reached that point. My time might be better spent trying to perfect those simple thruths I've already learned from Christ. I hope this makes sense.

[Jill]

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[paulespino]

Hi Jason,

In Watchman Nee's autobiography he mentioned that he was invited to preach in one of the church in England.

After the worship during the fellowship, he overheard a group of ladies talking and one of them asked the question:

Is there anything else we don't know? She was referring to the Bible.

To answer your question yes it happened to me but now I'm standing up again and walking towards the narrowpath .

[Jill]

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[TK]

Jason-

i can totally relate to what you are saying. i dont really have any solutions for you, other than to say i often wonder if i am not often pursuing theology for the sake of pursuing theology, and not for the sake of pursuing God. I can tell you that my greatest breakthroughs in my faith have not come from studying and reading, but from fellowshipping, worshipping and praying with other believers, and listening to challenging sermons.

therefore, i look at theology more as a hobby (hope that isnt heresy) and therefore i really dont have any desire to delve deeply into greek, etc. however, since I find the Bible and theology very interesting, I can't simply not pursue it at all (which is a big reason I visit this forum).

i have a few good friends that i can discuss theology with (who have some idea of what i am talking about) but most people do have a rather limited viewpoint (generally what they have been taught and not much else). however, some of these people are the best Christians I know.

Jesus calls us to relationship with Him; i think a lot of things, even pursuing theology, can distract us from that.

TK

[darinhouston]

I have found this at times, but on reflection realize it's not thinking and learning of theological issues exactly that is the problem (theology is just learning more of who God is and what His plan is after all). Instead, I realize its a condition of my heart that I have allowed to harden or time spent away from "listening" to what God wants to say to me or have me do or find myself out of "prayer" or helping others etc. When I realize that, and get that back in gear, I find this "burned out" issue to go away regardless of whether I spend less time "learning" or "discussing" such things. Of course, even then, I find that I naturally (or sometimes purposefully) tend to alternate my time between intellectual studies and reading about others' lives and concerning myself with Holiness, purity or spiritual living or the like. Maybe I spend some time in Proverbs or Psalms and reflect on God's majesty instead of trying to intellectualize a system (though I value that). I find it's like any other aspect of my life. If I focus too much on the day to day practical needs of getting bills paid, splitting duties with my wife for the kids, playing tag team, etc. then I find our relationship suffers and I need to spend some one on one time with her. That stuff's really important, but life's about balance.

[Jill]

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[Suzana]

...I'm to the point in my studies where I know longer feel it's helping, and may even be hurting....
Sometimes I feel the deeper things of God are not meant to be known by us and chasing after that knowledge can, at a certain point, become an idol. I've probably reached that point. My time might be better spent trying to perfect those simple thruths I've already learned from Christ. I hope this makes sense.

So we need to find a balance between

“Ecc 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be warned: The making of many books has no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.”
And
“2Ti 2:15 Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”

But most of all,

Jas 1:22 But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

The Holy Spirit is good at pulling us into line when we need correcting, whether it's what we're doing, or not doing; or even just our motives for doing something; and there may be different emphases according to different times and seasons in our lives.

[darinhouston]

I might make one other observation from my own experience -- As Suzana said, the Holy Spirit has a way of bringing us back in line when we're off balance, but I think we need to try hard to distinguish between the HS telling us to drop a particular study that's "nawing at us," and when the HS is working through that pain to get us to a new place in our belief. I came to point at a couple of times when I was a "Calvinist" by default reading a lot of Reformed writers and when I was trying to figure out where the bible taught a couple of assumed things about the Trinity where my studies were wearying me and bringing me to a point almost to unbelief. The sparse support for such things as the Trinity and the tyrranical all powerful God I was beginning to assume from these studies was giving me doubt as to the church and its teachings. If I had "dropped it" and read a Gary Smalley book or something, I would have emerged both times with a weak faith with blinders on that most people I know seem to walk around with. Had I not persevered (and shared my darkness with a fellow believer who prayed with me and gave me permission to doubt and have even unorthodox beliefs), I would not have emerged from my "error" and learned that it's ok to have unorthodox (or even wrong for a time) beliefs and to recognize that the church has struggled unsuccessfully with these things for a very long time and has probably gotten them (and many other things) completely wrong at times -- what I learned through that struggle was that the church's ignorance and even illogical orthodoxy doesn't negate the truth of the Scripture when you let go of those historically acceptable notions or disprove the good and loving God described in Scripture. I also came across Steve's teachings and this forum found a number of good folks who love the Lord have similar experiences.

So, while we need balance, I would caution against abandoning the intellectual pursuit of God. Maybe for a time, but to return to allow God to tell you who He is.

[Jason]

Karen, the issue I'm strugging with is not so much related to fellowship or a particular worship group. The problem is more related to "too much study, not enough charity." I have more patience with unbelievers but find I'm often rolling my eyes at other Christians.

Suzana, thank you for reminding me of those (seemingly related) scriptures. I'll make it a priority to practice the faith with more balance.

Tk/Darin, I don't think there's any danger that I'll abandon the intellectual side of our persuit. I'm not even sure I could do that if I wished to because my mind will always gravitate toward those things. But there is a profound lack of balance in my life right now and that is what's causing this "burnt out" feeling. It seems like the more I learn the less I love others which is strange. I tend to look down on the "end times madness" crowd even though I was at one time a card-carrying member.