Become New with John Ortberg 26. How to be Dull
Sep 13, 2021
A lively reflection on C.S. Lewis’s idea that life alternates between highs and lows. He explores the metaphor of humans as amphibians, part spirit and part animal. The talk highlights why spiritual dryness happens and how troughs can shape maturity. Practical ways to endure low seasons, like community and steady will, are also discussed.
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Law Of Undulation Explains Spiritual Highs And Lows
- Humans are amphibians: spirit directed to eternity and bodies bound to time, which produces inevitable peaks and troughs in emotions and faith.
- John Ortberg cites C.S. Lewis's law of undulation showing interest, appetite, and affection naturally rise and fall while living in time.
Troughs Can Be God’s Tool For Growth
- Dryness and spiritual troughs are not necessarily the devil's victory but natural phenomena God may use to strengthen us.
- Ortberg references Elijah and Mother Teresa as examples of leaders who experienced deep troughs after mountain-top encounters.
God Preserves Human Freedom By Withdrawing Certainty
- God doesn’t make his presence irrefutably obvious because overwhelming presence would remove human freedom.
- Ortberg explains Screwtape’s point that the scheme forbids using irresistible proof so humans can freely choose love.
