14 – Andrew - “I’m an intellect struggling to feel close to God.”
“I am an intellect and I’m struggling to feel close to God.”
The Surprising Spiritual Weakness of Intellect
Do you ever struggle to feel close to God? Do questions and intellectual pursuits sometimes seem to create a distance between you and the Divine? You are not alone. Many, like Andrew, the recipient of today’s audio recording, wrestle with this tension between intellect and intimacy with God. What if I told you that a strong intellect, while valued by the world, can be a real spiritual stumbling block to faith and pleasing God? In my opinion it’s just as much of a stumbling block as money is. When you have a lot of money, or a lofty intellect, it naturally drives you to depend on those strengths, rather than on God. They can be obstacles to the humility, which is required to receive God’s grace (James 4:6). Quite a few said to me over the years, when I was being led by faith in a direction which made no sense to them, “Michael, we understand faith, BUT God gave you a brain, so use it”. So few realize that all throughout the Bible God intentionally leads people in ways that completely contradict human understanding and natural reasoning. (Proverbs 3:5-6).
God grants us all gifts, including intellect, as James 1:17 reminds us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” Yet, our strengths can become weaknesses if they lead to dependence on self, or pride. Knowledge, the Bible tells us, “puffs up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). When we rely on our intellectual prowess, we risk becoming self-reliant, our own provider, even guilty men whose own strength has become our “god” (Habakkuk 1:11). This self-sufficiency is what God despises. As Luke 16:15 states, “…what is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”
The world celebrates knowledge and intellectual achievement. But God, in His wisdom, often hides the deep things of His Kingdom “from the wise and learned” (Matthew 11:25) and reveals them instead to those who humble themselves like children. God is pleased to bring His chosen people low, not to punish, but to pour out His grace. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reveals this beautiful truth: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”
God allowed brokenness into my own life, stripping away financial success, worldly possessions, and the accolades that fed my pride. I had everything the world told me would bring happiness, yet I was miserable. It was in this brokenness, in the surrender of my self-reliance, that God’s grace flooded in. He became my provider, my strength, and my joy.
For intellects like Andrew who struggle to connect with God, the path to intimacy is not found in intellectual understanding alone. It’s found in humility, obedience, and a childlike dependence on God. Jesus said in Mark 4:23, “If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” He challenges us to be careful how we listen, for the measure we use will be measured back to us. True wisdom comes not from accumulating knowledge, but from fearing God and obeying His precepts.
The Christian life is simple, though not easy. Jesus calls us to become like little children (Matthew 18:3-4), to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). This path requires surrender, sacrifice, and a willingness to trust God even when it doesn't make sense. Embrace your weakness, lay your intellect on the altar of sacrifice, and discover the abundant life that awaits you in the grace and presence of God.
