Emotional Prosperity Gospel

Step #1: Lectio / Read

In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium
arrived and won over the crowds. 
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead.
But when the disciples gathered around him,
he got up and entered the city. 
On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

After they had proclaimed the good news to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished. 
And when they arrived, they called the Church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Then they spent no little time with the disciples.

​Acts 14:19-28

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Step #2: Meditatio / Meditate

Ever heard of the "prosperity gospel?" It's the false notion of Christianity that if we believe in the Lord and live for Him, we are guaranteed to receive great wealth and good fortune. Sadly, it can lead a person to use their belief in Jesus as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself. In other words, instead of Jesus being your goal, He's just a way for you to get wealthy and have a comfortable life here on this earth.

I think that today we have another "prosperity gospel" that's even more subtle and deceptive. Let's call it an "emotional prosperity gospel." We often think that if we believe in Jesus, we're guaranteed to always feel happy. Unfortunately, many of us may believe in Jesus mostly for how He makes us feel. In this way, instead of a genuine relationship with Jesus being our goal, He's just a way for us to feel good about life, especially when it gets tough. And when this Jesus drug fails to produce warm fuzzies, we bail on Him. We say, "Faith doesn't work. I believe in Jesus, but I can't feel Him and life is still so hard." He's not the magical leprechaun we want Him to be for us.

​In today's reading, the Apostles clearly didn't fall for the "emotional prosperity gospel." In fact, they believed something quite different: ​“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” It sounds like they're saying the opposite. That to reach the goal of faith, it requires sacrifice and suffering. Not warm fuzzies.

What about you? Do you subscribe to the "emotional prosperity gospel" or the gospel that the Apostles preached? Do you turn away from Jesus whenever He fails to make you feel good? Whether it be during prayer, during trials in your life, during moments of confusion and doubt? Do you feel let down by God when He doesn't make everything in your life work out better? Do you give up on prayer and faith when you don't get the "results" you're looking for?

It's tempting. But let's not seek the emotional prosperity gospel.

Let's follow the gospel of the Apostles. Let's not make Jesus a means to an end, but the end itself. Let's make Jesus our goal. On one hand, He will fill us with a joy and peace that is deeper than mere good fortune and nice feelings. On the other hand, life will now require great sacrifice and even suffering for His sake. When we unite ourselves to Jesus, we don't just experience His Resurrection, we also experience His Cross.

So let's not be surprised when our prayer feels dry, when life gets difficult, when our faith seems to bring about persecution. ​​Because “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.”

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Step #3: Oratio / Pray

“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.”

Holy Spirit, reveal to me the true desire of my heart: Do I follow the emotional prosperity gospel or the true gospel preached by the Apostles?

Jesus, in what ways have I run from you when I no longer feel good about my faith? Jesus, have mercy on me.

Jesus, what crosses are you asking me to carry with and for you? Give me the courage to take up these crosses.

Father, what is your will for my life right now? Help me to trust you, even when it's hard. 

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Step #4: Contemplatio / Contemplate

"Jesus, purify my love for you."

"Help me to carry my cross, Lord."

“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.”

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For the Rest of Your Day...

Today whenever you don't feel Jesus or it seems like your faith is causing more trouble in your life than it's worth, thank our Lord. Then try to accept that trial as a cross lovingly selected for you by Jesus.

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Today's prayer was prepared by Dan Wolff.