Being Your Own ‘Soul Keeper’

ETERNITY is the place of souls. It is the destination of spirit and not flesh. Everything that is set against the soul fades along with the earth. Only the soul remains.

Our souls are our being. Yet, our souls are so sensitive. We should not ever quieten our souls, for, in that, we quieten our true selves who would otherwise crave God.

Our role in life is to be a soul-keeper. Our goal is to extract every good opportunity for soul care; to enhance our being.

When it comes to soul-keeping, there are three things to be aware of:

1.     We need to keep our soul soft — don’t be embittered by hurts. But the fact is, we will be embittered by hurts unless we do something to reconcile them. This means we need to be honest in the midst of our relationships. If we bear a grudge over a situation or with a person, the care of our soul is at jeopardy. Being honest with ourselves and being courageous enough to speak the truth in love are keys. The main reason we end up embittered in the first place is we stopped short of being honest with ourselves and others. Courage is blessed.

2.     We have the opportunity to go deeply into the trials of life, for our soul will only grow if we go to the depths. Don’t be shallow or superficial. To miss the depths of life, which require from us courage and endurance, is to miss life itself. And the soul gets and gives out its own rewards when we plumb deeply into the very material of our losses and grief. We are enriched for the depths encountered and embraced.

3.     We have to become aware not to allow the soul to become cluttered. We need space. This is such a danger in our post-postmodern world that is full of distractions. Did you know that pornography and gambling addictions are all the more easier to become tangled in with the internet? Besides unintentional distractions, there are so many attractions that compete for our eye and for our attention. The soul-keeper creates space. Where there is limited space, they ensure life is kept simple. The key priorities of life are easy to identify: family, health, relationships, community. Create equal and balanced space for all.

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Our souls go into eternity the moment our life is over. The biggest, most important investment in life is that of soul care. Will you be a good soul-keeper?

© 2015 S. J. Wickham.

Acknowledgement to Pastor Mark Wilson.