Unpublished: Neurotic Christians

Following Jesus involves a certain amount of ego-strength. It takes ego-strength to let others go first, to take the last place, to be a servant, to allow others to get the accolades. This is a struggle for many of us. Not because we are wicked but because we are so unsure about our basic self-worth that we become addicted to praise, compliments, attention and popularity. We engage in what psychologists have called "excessive reassurance seeking," constantly taking the temperature of our social network to verify that we are being noticed, approved of, and included.

Another way to say this is that we often fail to follow Jesus because we are neurotic. And our neuroses cause us to be self-focused and attention-seeking when we should trying to become self-forgetful and other-oriented. Instead of listening we like to talk. Instead of giving compliments we fish for them. Instead of serving quietly we like to share our accomplishments. Instead of admitting wrong we give excuses. Instead of sharing our failures we live a lie.

We are "curved inward" upon ourselves not because we are wicked or depraved but because we are socially anxious and neurotic.

--an unpublished post exploring the impact of neurosis upon followers of Jesus