It is important to monitor who speaks to your soul. It will make a huge difference in life and even more in death. You don’t want to be a fool when it comes to supervising your soul.
The thoughts of a rich man found in Luke 12:19-20 reveal why such scrutiny of soul thoughts is necessary.
“And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”
I imagine that this foolish man did not even realize that he was speaking to his soul. He was so focused on the earthly realm that he did not even consider that he has an eternal soul, and the things that concern him on the earth are minor in comparison to the things that concern his soul. Sure, it is nice and important to have plenty of food; that is a necessity of living on this earth. But this man had way more food than he could possibly eat. Rather than find people on earth who didn’t have anything to eat, he tried to find ways to keep more of the things of this earth for himself. God called him a fool because he considered all he needed was more than enough grain laid up for this lifetime. However, his body wasn’t going to need what he hoarded because God is the one who decided the number of his days. He thought he was so smart in caring for himself; but by neglecting his soul, he disregarded what was of greater consequence.
It is vital to recognize that God is the one who numbers our days if we are going to let our souls listen to the right voice. The entire Bible is dedicated to helping us stop being fools. We naturally get it all wrong when it comes to our souls. What’s good for the soul is often completely opposite to what is good for the flesh. Souls thrive most through suffering. Souls prosper with more and more exposure and obedience to the word of God.
Actually, the best conversations you can have with your soul come right out of the word of God. Like the Psalmist, we need to learn to speak to our souls. Psalm 42:5 is a great example of this:
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
Speak to your soul like the Psalmist. Ask your soul why it is downcast and then remind your soul of a special verse that God has given you. Consider how this transforms your outlook on your situation. It can make the difference between living your life like a fool or a saint.
Beware of losing touch with your soul. It is a dangerous spiritual practice. Your soul is the only part of this earth that will last for eternity. It is mandatory that you keep this in mind as you make decisions about how you live on this earth.
In my book Passion on Purpose, I researched the seven areas in which Jesus promises to reward us. Souls will be wise to consider these more than what gets noticed in this world.
- Jesus gives heavenly rewards to those who use their financial resources for His kingdom. (Matthew 6:19-21)
- Jesus gives rewards for the spiritual disciplines we practice with the right motives. (Matthew 5-8; 16-18; 1 Cor. 9:17; 1 Cor. 4:5)
- Jesus gives rewards for standing up for your faith. (Matthew 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23; Rev. 2:10; James 1:12)
- Jesus gives rewards for the way you treat others. (Matthew 10:40-42; Luke 14:12-14; Hebrews 6:10; 1 Thess. 2:19-20; Mark 9:41; Luke 6:32-35)
- Jesus gives rewards for dedicating everything you do to glorify God. (Colossians 3:23-25; Romans 12:1)
- Jesus gives rewards for keeping God’s Word pure. (2 John 7-8; Rev. 2-3)
- Jesus gives rewards for being watchful for His return. (2 Timothy 4:8; Luke 12:35-48; Mark 13:32-37)
Make sure you are having wise conversations with your soul!
