Have you ever had the feeling that God was sending you specific messages in response to something that was troubling you? Have you ever taken these signs as answers to prayer and a push in the direction God intends for you to go?
If you answered yes to either of those questions you are far from alone. Many people each day feel the power of God through small signs.
Yet in some rare cases these signs can be perceived as psychosis. Some people, who rely on very scientific facts to navigate the world, claim that some people misunderstand the signs and are therefore psychotic.
So it begs the question – Are these signs the result of psychosis or spirituality?
Here are a few things to consider:
- How the message is received – One of the top ways that people receive a spiritual message from God is by reading the Bible. This scripture provides hope during a difficult situation, guidance in choosing right from wrong, and confirmation that the Lord loves his people even when they sin. Regardless of religious beliefs, gaining inspiration from a written word is not uncommon and is not psychosis.
- What the person does with the message – As a person absorbs the message that was delivered to them through scripture or writings, they can use this message in a number of ways. When a person uses it to better their lives, or to lift other people up in a positive way, they are putting their message toward the greater good.
- The overall effect of a spiritual being – When people feel they have a big dude upstairs to talk to and to help guide them during good times and bad, they find a sense of hope and relief. This relationship takes them from a life filled with bad decisions and lack of guidance to a sense of having a place to turn for help.
Considering these three important factors, spirituality comes across as the clear answer to this question. However, there are still psychologists who prefer to treat people who are spiritual in an effort to get them ‘back to reality’ and connect with external forces without religion.
As many psychologists have suggested, there is a theory among people in society that states that people who talk to God are spiritual, but people who misconstrue the messages they receive from God may be psychotic. Here are a few examples.
- When a spiritual person reaches out to scripture for guidance, they are reading the voice of God and taking important lessons to better their life and the lives of others. However, when people misconstrue messages they can in very rare cases end up causing harm instead of good.
- As you read the scripture and gain insight, you make the choice to use the guidance you found in the Holy text to your advantage or to help those less fortunate. This is positive and considered spiritual. However, if you do harm and hurt others you have misunderstood the message and created a distant connection with God and external realities which can be considered psychotic.
- When the result of your guidance sought from seeking guidance through scripture lead you to a more hope-filled life, and one that drives you in a positive direction in your life, you have received spiritual guidance. In people who cross the line to psychotic, the actions they take will ultimately harm themselves.
The line between psychotic and spiritual is indeed a fine one, but by doing good deeds and building a positive life around these positive messages, you can be uplifted and spiritual.
Joyce Del Rosario is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s leading providers of Nutrition Courses and Personal Training Courses. When not working, Joyce blogs about health and fitness.
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