Spiritual growth is the gradual, I would say, transition from a God of tradition to a God of experience.

Pathology can indeed evoke experiences of Absolute Godliness, but not all God experiences are caused by pathology. They can also occur due to disturbance in the geomagnetic field of our planet, consumption of psychedelics, excruciatingly extreme level of stress during a near- death situation, or ultimately through a natural and healthy procedure of meditation or/and prayer.

The more you rely on intellectual and philosophical concepts of God, the more difficult it becomes to simply experience and enjoy the wonder of God.