Welcome to part five of this series.
There is a great hymn that most people know of. It is a song by Horatio G. Spafford. A devout Christian who lives in the 1800s. He was immersed in Scripture, and many years of his life were joyous. He was a prominent Chicago lawyer, whose business was thriving. He owned several properties throughout the city. It’s hard to explain why things happen in life. We know there is a sinful world that we live in, a Devil who wants to kill, steal, and destroy and there are wicked and evil people. This man faced a heartbreaking tragedy in his life. The loss of property in the Chicago fire, the loss of a son, and the horrible loss of his four daughters at sea. At some point, he penned these words that turned into a song that has been a blessing to many people who face heartbreaking situations.
“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!— My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul….”
How did this man overcome such tragedy? What kept him from being bitter, and angry at God? What kept him from departing from God altogether? It’s hard to imagine all that was going through his mind and heart. The emotional turmoil of such loss in his life. On the other hand, amazingly, we fall apart like a two-dollar suitcase when we don’t get our way or someone cuts us off while driving home. This man could say with such earnestness, “It is well with my soul.”
How would you react under such circumstances? Could you make the same admission? I know before I came to Christ that I felt and dealt differently with adverse circumstances in life. I was often depressed, anxious, fearful, rejected, discouraged, and always angry. I struggled with lust and pornography at times. I knew about God but never had a personal relationship with Him. God, why are these things happening in my life? I had no answers at the time. At the age of twenty-two, I finally gave my heart and life to Christ. I started going to Church, reading the Bible, and fellowshipping with other Christians. Still, life was life. Hardships, trials, and temptations. Yet there was inner peace and joy that I didn’t have before. There was the assurance of God’s love and care. I didn’t feel alone anymore. I was hopeful about life. Through Christ, the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit I overcame depression, anxiety, fear, loneliness, lust, and uncontrolled anger. Psalm 94:19 (AMP) -19 In the multitude of my [anxious] thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul! Psalm 142:7 (NKJV) -7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”Psalm 143:11 (NKJV) 1 Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. Psalm 119:28 (AMP) -28 My life dissolves and weeps itself away for heaviness; raise me up and strengthen me according to [the promises of] Your word. Our life and our soul can feel like a prison. We are held captive in our thought life and our souls are in trouble. We are fearful and anxious. God wants healing and wholeness in our souls. King David in the Old Testament faced tremendous hardships. We see this in many of the Psalms that he wrote. David acknowledges a lot of his feelings and emotions. Yet he would always turn to God and His promises for strength and encouragement. The Psalms have always been a source of refreshing and hope for people all over this world in hard times.
For an unbeliever, an agnostic, or an atheist where do they turn? Do they turn to self-help books, psychology, or other religions besides Christianity? Do they turn to alcohol, drugs, pornography, or escape into their jobs or some other activity? Maybe, God forbid they only see a way out by ending their lives. Can we experience freedom, and wholeness in our souls apart from a relationship with our Father in heaven? This scripture rightly explains what life is like without Christ and how life is different when we receive Christ into our lives. Ephesians 2:1-8 (NKJV) -1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Our emotions, passions, appetites, and inner drives of our souls come into a different focus when we finally surrender to the God who knows us so well. ( Psalm 139 ) Our spirit is made alive in Christ when we accept him into our hearts. We are no longer spiritually dead. No longer driven by a bruised soul and unhealthy fleshly appetites that dominate our lives. We become transformed daily as we renew our minds and our thinking with the Word of God. Strengthening our will and resolve to follow Christ in total dependence on Him (Rom 12:1-2 ). The new birth, the born-again experience places us in a totally new position in life. We see and deal with life in a new way. We can say with David; Psalm 23:1-6 (NKJV) 1 The LORDis my shepherd;I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
Again David expresses his heart and how God will come to his aid. Psalm 42:11 (PassionNTPsa) -11 So I say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed. For I know my God will break through for me.”Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again. Yes, living before his face is my saving grace!
Whether we like it or not God is our answer and never our problem. Salvation is in Christ and the saving of our souls. To live without Christ is like trying to save yourself after falling from an airplane. Your fate and destiny are sealed unless you have a parachute which spiritually is Christ. Only Christ can give us true life and eternity with God. You can have true peace, joy, and contentment. If you struggle in your soul there is hope in Christ. It starts with turning your life over to Christ. Having your spirit made alive in Christ will directly impact your soul and its well-being and how you live your life. As you start to grow in your relationship with God and His word, transformation will take place.
A new door has opened to you in which you will experience all that God has for you. You have to take that step and walk through. He is the good shepherd and he will lead and guide you. In our next blog on soul care, I will try to give some practical ways of how this can work in your life to have a healthy and whole soul. I have been sharing some things in these posts but hopefully put it all together. Please know it is an ongoing journey that lasts a lifetime. We are all learning and growing. So don’t quit, don’t give up, and keep pressing ahead on the road to emotional health. With great courage, we can say as the man above, It is well with my soul.”
In Christ love;
Brent and Linda
If this has been a blessing to you, please let us know and share with a friend.