Today, I want to share a little about how praying in tongues can make people think you’re crazy.
This is something I have witnessed myself. Anyone who prays in tongues will, at some point, be called insane.
There will be people who do not understand what you are doing, and they may not even want to understand, even if you try to explain it to them.
I am sure many of you can relate.
Anytime you pray in tongues, you are engaging in a spiritual activity. As I often say, praying in tongues is a high-level spiritual activity. It requires a lot of faith to receive this gift. Remember, the Holy Spirit, who leads you, cannot be seen, and the world does not know Him as written in John 14:17.
Because He is the one leading you to pray in tongues, people cannot understand what is happening. To them, it simply seems strange.
The challenging part is that even when the gift yields results in your life, people may still refuse to believe that praying in tongues is meaningful.
Resistance from within
We often assume that those who will call us insane are unbelievers or people of the world. But in many cases, they are believers, even born-again Christians.
Some may even be church leaders or people very close to you. You may be surprised that those closest to you are often the ones who say such things.
Jesus spoke about this in Mark 6:4, which reads, ‘a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives and his own family.’
He also said that a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household in Matthew 10:36.
Strangers may simply watch you, think you are strange, and walk away. But those who are close to you may feel responsible for you. When they think you’re going too far, they may condemn you, believing they’re helping you.
I know of someone who was taken to a mental facility by family members because of praying in tongues, despite insisting they were not insane.
I remember a time back in my campus days when we wanted to hold a fellowship. Since we could not find a venue within the school, we asked to use a church nearby. The pastor agreed, not knowing that we prayed in tongues.
During the fellowship, we prayed in tongues, and there were manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Afterwards, the pastor completely banned us from ever returning.
Later, we decided to rent a hall outside the school. Since we were paying for it, we assumed we could use it freely.
However, the moment we began praying in tongues, the watchman was sent to kick us out. Even though we had paid, they insisted we leave, saying they did not want trouble. Eventually, we left.
Interestingly, we noticed that people had also gathered outside to watch us pray in tongues along with the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. It reminded me of the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and people outside said they were drunk.
I also remember a time when a friend saw me praying in tongues. He was surprised because he had never known I had the gift. Later, he told me, “I can’t believe people who wear suits also do that.” He assumed such things were only for certain kinds of people, not someone he considered intelligent and decent.
Although he wanted to ask questions, he seemed uncomfortable and never did. Eventually, that strained our friendship, and I felt there was no need to continue it.
This is another reality: you may lose friends.
In some cases, relationships with family members may also be affected. Sometimes, you may have to part ways with people because of your faith.
This is part of the cost of following Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your life. It can be discouraging at times, especially when you feel lonely or misunderstood.
There are also times when your level of faith in God may confuse others. They may try to discourage you, telling you to “tone it down” or to “balance your life.” I was often told to live a more “balanced” life because people felt I was too focused on spiritual things.
To them, you may seem extreme, but to you, it is simply faith in action. You understand that trusting God deeply is part of your walk with Him.
Conclusion
These challenges are part of the salvation journey. Some people believe that following Jesus should lead to a life where everyone loves and celebrates them. But often, it is the opposite. The closer you walk with Him, the more resistance you may face.
Even so, we must keep pressing on toward the prize that Christ has promised us.
Let me know in the comments if you have ever been misunderstood because of praying in tongues.
God bless you.