Is Your Soul Balanced or Unbalanced?

Few Christians today talk about the soul, whereas in previous generations it was a prime topic to speak or write about. We have drifted from seeing the importance of the soul. I think much of that is because the church has turned over giving counsel to secular professionals, rather than pastors and shepherds of God’s people who understand the deep connection between the Word of God and a healthy soul.

If a person is taught by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God they should have an abundance of wisdom to share  with those going through difficult times. I fear  that many pastors have been trained to “Patriot” doctrine rather than to understand true wisdom from God’s Word. When you separate knowledge and experience, and only teach people how to think but not how to act, you warp the soul into confusion rather than into healthy living. Even for pastors who have gained both knowledge and wisdom it is easy to coast on the early stages of wisdom and end up crashing and burning in their walk with God because they relied on the past for their current walk with God, rather than always walking in a refreshed experience with him.

The soul is comprised of three main elements: “Mind-Will-Emotion” that enable a person to have a balanced life. All believers have been taught to read God’s word, but when the mind is disconnected from the will or emotions, even in small ways, it can send the soul into a distorted walk with God and others. It is no surprise to see people memorize scripture and biblical concepts but still be cold in their walk with God. This is because they were taught to fear their emotions in the pursuit of God. However, our emotions are meant to transform the knowledge of God into a personal relationship with him. The second area in which we get off unbalanced is when we get stimulated in our mind and emotions in our pursuit of God, but fail to engage our will to apply those important tools of healthy relationship. Being taught to love our neighbor while doing nothing to apply that knowledge and emotion produces guilt that can poison our soul.

Look at what David said about his soul and the pursuit of God. David sought a relationship with his mind, will and emotions. As a result he was able to do extraordinary things, like killing giants.

Psalms 63:1

O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Learning, feeling and acting with our soul in the pursuit of God brings us into a balanced walk with God and people. David understood this and applied it to his whole life. David also understood that God delivered his soul from death physically, emotionally and spiritually. David called this balance “Walking” in the light of God and his Word.

Psalms 56:13

For You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living.

David knew that to fear God was to have a balanced soul in the pursuit of God. He knew that people who had a healthy fear of the Lord would see the evidence of God’s blessing in their souls and would embrace their God. Maybe so few people are being converted because their souls are out or balance.

Psalms 66:16

Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.

David’s son Solomon voiced the importance of wisdom, and penned that if the soul found wisdom, which is the right application of knowledge, the person’s life of soul would be blessed and have a good future.

Proverbs 24:13-14

My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

Finally, Jesus talked about how valuable our soul is and warned people not to neglect the building and securing of our souls.  Jesus warned about people who would put their souls in harm’s way because they cared more for their bodies; meaning they sacrificed the health of their souls for the pleasures of their flesh.

Matthew 10:28

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus warned about “Forfeiting” our souls through neglect because we are so bent on finding pleasure in this life at the exclusion of our spiritual life. Jesus said that we don’t possess anything that equals the value of our soul. Can you see how in the last 50 + years much of our preaching and teaching in the church has neglected our understanding of the soul?

Matthew 16:26

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Don’t get side tracked by the enjoyment of this life at the expense of eternity. Feed your soul a healthy diet of developing your mind with the Word of God, your emotions with the love of God and your will with doing the will of God. Maintain a healthy, balanced soul and watch your life change for the better. Maybe then your soul will be attractive to unbelievers and they will find their savior, like you did.

Questions:

1) How much have you studied God’s Word on the soul? There are over a 1,000 verses directly related to the soul, so it must be an important topic to God.

2)   Getting your soul in balance isn’t easy if you have never done it. Consider seeking a godly mentor to help you.

Seeking a healthy soul in 2025,

Pastor Dale