Author: Crowhill Report

How a relationship with God affects psychological distress

Rev. 3:16 has Jesus saying to the church in Laodicea, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth,” which is popularly taken to mean that it’s better to be all in or all out, but if you’re only partly committed to God, you’re distasteful.

The actual message is probably that Jesus wants them to be useful, since both hot and cold beverages are useful, while lukewarm beverages are not. (Here is an interesting explanation on why lukewarmness was particularly relevant to Laodicea.)

But this article seems to fit with the common interpretation.

People who are securely and avoidantly attached to God experience less distress than those in the middle

If I’m reading it right, it says when you compare commitment to God and anxiety, the less anxious people are the ones on the ends — i.e., those who are fully committed or “avoidant.” It’s the people in the middle who are anxious.