Attaching to God: Neuroscience-informed Spiritual Formation · Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw

136 The One Thing Your Soul Actually Wants

·25 min·1 clip

Jesus endured the cross for joy—not as escape, but as the foundation holding him through suffering.

This episode of the Attaching to God podcast, hosted by Jeff Holzclaw and Sid, explores the central role of joy in Christian spiritual formation and Lenten practice. Jeff is a pastor, professor, and founder of the Center for Embodied Faith, while Sid co-hosts, focusing on integrating attachment theory and neuroscience with faith. They argue that joy, defined as the relational experience of someone being glad to be with you, is the core desire of the human soul rather than a vague concept of love. The hosts examine Hebrews 12:2, highlighting how the "joy set before" Jesus motivated him to endure the cross. They connect this to Jesus's own experiences of joy, like at his baptism, which sustained him during his wilderness temptation. Sid shares a personal story of joy from volunteering with toddlers at church, where a child exclaimed, "It's you!" upon seeing her. Jeff contrasts joy with circumstantial happiness by expressing his excitement for the opening day of baseball season. The discussion references trauma research, noting that painful experiences are less likely to become trauma if someone is glad to be with you during them. They explain that joy builds a psychological and neurological capacity to healthily shift between connection and protection modes instead of getting stuck in defensive states. A key insight is that stored joy becomes hope, which can be accessed during spiritually dry or "wilderness" periods. The hosts caution that emphasizing joy is not spiritual bypassing, but rather allows one to attune to personal or others' distress without avoidance. They cite creation's rejoicing in the Psalms and heaven's celebration in Luke 15 as evidence of a "cosmic delight" woven throughout scripture. A practical invitation is to reflect daily on moments of operating from self-protection versus connection fueled by God's gladness. Listeners are encouraged to consciously collect and savor memories where they felt someone was glad to be with them, building a "backpack" of joy for difficult times. The tone is conversational, educational, and pastoral, blending personal anecdotes with scriptural exegesis and psychological concepts. Listeners interested in neuroscience-informed faith, attachment theory in Christian life, or a deeper, non-ascetic view of Lent will find this episode valuable. Those seeking a purely exegetical Bible study or a debate-style podcast might prefer to skip it.

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