Today I heard an account of a man dealing with a very rare disease, not only rare but the trigger for this disease seems so unfair. Many may be familiar with Narcolepsy, this disease causes the body to go to sleep involuntary, one moment you are awake and going and the next moment you are out cold, your mind goes to sleep. Though rare there is an even rarer version of this disease, Narcolepsy with Cataplexy.
Narcolepsy with Cataplexy effects .02% of the population and causes the sufferer to not fall asleep in the mind but causes the body of the individual to go to sleep wile the mind is still awake. The sufferer will be walking or standing and will fall down, mind trying to command the body but to no effect. Now that might seem odd but the trigger just seems unkind: When this individual has excessive "Happy Thoughts" the body responds by shutting down!
Could you imagine, experiencing joy and having your body respond by shutting down. Thinking a happy thought and having that thought force you to the ground, could you imagine?
Would you force yourself to not think on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable" (Philippians 4:8) so as not to be crippled?
Could you imagine standing at your wedding and upon seeing your wife to be, you fall after being overtaken by love. Or sitting at your children's play and not being able to stand and applaud because you are so proud of them. Or attending your high school reunion and being weakened by memories of time spent with your best friends. Could you imagine that?
During a worship service I had this thought about Narcolepsy with Cataplexy: Though trying and difficult to endure, thou upsetting and debilitating part of me thinks, what a gift to know what it is that brings me pure joy... To be crippled by joy! What a testimony to my bride and children, my friends and those who know me - that they truly bring happiness to me, that they not only bring joy but are my joy. That my falling before them is a testimony to my love and affection to them.
Now here's the question... Would thinking about God bring you to your knees, would your love for God sweep you off your feet?
