How is Your Soul? One of the Most Important Questions to God
"Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, soul, and mind." Matthew 22:37
Hello friends,
Welcome to the 3rd episode of our Sanctuary Stirrings Spring series, where we have a light (ha-ha) topic to dive into. Today we’ll be continuing our exploration of last week’s topic—one we just scratched the surface of, and that hasn’t left me alone since I read it in Robin’s book, Expressions of the Soul.
In the book’s introduction, Robin quoted the religious leaders’ question in Matthew 22:
“Which is the greatest commandment?”
Jesus’ response stopped me in my tracks:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.”
And I found myself wondering…Where was the spirit in that list?
A Surprising Realization
What was Jesus instructing us to do when he said to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind?
I know how to love the Lord with all my heart — through things like verbalizing my love and praise to Him. And I know how to love him with all my mind through Bible study, sermons, and Christian conferences.
But I couldn’t tell you how to love God with all my soul. After walking with Jesus for decades I realized--I couldn’t even clearly tell you, what a soul is.
And I know I’m not alone. When I mentioned this experience to a friend who has also been a Christian for many years, she paused, looked puzzled, and said the same thing.
It seems we have overlooked the soul in our Christian experience. Often, I read the word soul, and assume it means spirit, but Scripture shows us they are not the same.
As Hebrews 4:12 tells us:
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit …”
The spirit is the part of us that gives us the ability to have a relationship with God:
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
But as Robin writes in Expressions of the Soul, the soul is:
“A divine gift from God that is not man or woman made.’ Derived from the “Hebrew word ruach which is considered distinctive and separate from the body but when breathed into, ‘forms a living person … God’s divine thumbprint that provides our God-given identity.”
Gotquestions.org (which is endorsed by the You Version Bible app) states:
· Soul comes, “from the Hebrew “nehesh,” speaking of the life-force, the inner self, the seat of desires, emotions and will (Gen 2:7, Matthew 10:28).
· It is more than feelings; it is the very essence of personhood-what makes you—you.
Why Do We Ignore It?
Because the soul is associated with the human, earthly part of us — our personalities, gifts, passions, and emotions — it can feel self-centered and therefore selfish to place any emphasis on it. Not to mention our souls--our personalities, emotions, and desires--are the very places where we can be led astray. Therefore, we may think that if we ignore the soul, we can keep ourselves from sinning as well.
Author and theologian, George MacDonald (who happens to be my spiritual giant this year, yay George!) said,
“You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.”
This makes perfect sense if you’ve ever been with a loved one as they have passed from this life to the next, or stood beside a casket looking down at the corpse. You know that person isn’t there anymore.
What’s gone? The body is still there. But the soul and spirit, that made that person who they were, and reflected God’s image to the world, have passed into eternity.
Why Didn't Jesus Mention the Spirit?
Why didn’t Jesus include the spirit in His command?
Because our spirit will always love God completely. But the heart, soul, and mind are the places where we choose to turn towards God or away.
So, what does it mean to love the Lord with all your soul? It is to direct all the components of your personality, passions, emotions, and will towards loving God fully.
To love God with all my soul,
I can direct my characteristic love of adventure and apply it to godly pursuits--like learning about Celtic Christianity, walking with spiritual giants, and going on pilgrimages.
I can use my writing talent to craft books and articles that draw people closer to Him.
I can channel my passion for leadership into leading retreats.
I can use my desire to listen to love my family and to accompany others on their spiritual path.
Isn’t that wonderful! We can direct every part of our personality, passion, emotions, and will towards loving God fully.
Another Troubling Scripture
Along with this first scripture, there was a second one that pressed on my heart,
“What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)
Our souls are of utmost importance to God.
Jesus tells us we could gain everything the world offers and still lose what matters most—our souls. Our souls can either be “found” and share eternity with God, or “lost” and separated from God forever.
Robin writes,
“The soul can be damaged and ultimately ruined, which is an eternal matter.”
God designed a world where our souls would regularly be tended by periods of both rest and work, nourished by loving family and friends, a warm home and nutricious food, fulfilling work, and a life-giving community.
But what happens when His perfect design goes awry? In this broken world, where you run yourself ragged and sometimes, the family that is supposed to nurture you abuses you, the provision of food or home is lacking, or the Body of Christ falters in living as Jesus would, and wounds you instead.
The small wounds inflict little nicks and bruises, but the bigger ones slash like a knife, inflicting deep wounds that can threaten our soul’s survival.
Maybe you’ve experienced this. Or you know someone who has. Maybe you’re there right now.
The Shepherd Who Restores
Our souls are precious to God.
Jesus sees every bruise, scrape, and wound—and He longs to tend them.
He calls to us in Psalm 23,
“The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3
In a world that leaves our souls weary and wounded, we regularly need our Shepherd’s care. Instead of constantly driving ourselves forward, ignoring the condition of our inner self, we are invited to listen for the Shepherd’s voice calling us to green pastures and quiet waters.
It's in these places that our souls – that part of us that will either be lost or found for eternity – are restored.
And it's the restored soul that can walk forward in paths of righteousness, to fulfill the callings God has for them, and radiate who He is to the world.
Pause to Look Within
So, today friend, how is your soul?
Is it nourished, rested, whole? Or is it dry, weary, bruised, or even deeply wounded?
So often we tell ourselves, “I gotta keep pushing.” “I don’t have the time or the money to stop.” “I’ll do it later.”
But there’s nothing more important--to God or this world than YOUR SOUL!
Take a moment. To be still. To listen.
Do you hear the Shepherd calling you? Calling you away—to green pastures and quiet waters?
If you do … say yes.
Not once but again, and again, and again. So that you don’t get swept up in the whirlwind, gaining the whole world, yet losing your soul.
But instead, become who God created you to be.
____
Resources Worth Noticing:
Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity and Life with God – Robin T. Jennings
A beautiful exploration of the soul, Christian Celtic faith practices, and spiritual giants, and how they can deepen our relationship with God.
What is the Human Soul? article GotQuestions.org
The Sanctuary at Bear Creek Prayer Cabin - A sacred space to come away for time alone with the Good Shepherd.
Journey with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God - Lori G. Melton
Take the next step in your spiritual formation and embark on a year-long journey alongside a “giant” of faith, inspired by the author’s year of studying the life of Mister Fred Rogers, America’s favorite neighbor.
Sacred Opportunities:
He Restores My Soul--24 Hour Womens Retreat
April & May Opportunities
The Good Shepherd sees you… And He is inviting you to come away.
To green pastures. To quiet waters. To a place where your soul can be restored.
If you feel a stirring as you read this, this is your invitation.
A Note About Next Week:
Join us next week, Holy Week, for a powerful conversation about fully receiving the gift Jesus death on the cross purchased for us -- an unhindered, living relationship with God Almighty!
So thankful to be journeying together.
In our Savior's love,
Lori