I think I’m on day twenty of social distancing. What day are you on? Within these twenty days, I have had at least ten “Come to Jesus” meetings with my soul? At least. Some days, I had to have two.
What does a “Come to Jesus” meeting with your soul look like? Well our soul is our mind, will, and emotions. Although not necessarily evil, sometimes they like to unite and stage a coupe. They like to cause us to complain, fear, blame, suspect, despair – everything opposite the fruit of the Spirit. When this happen, we must remind our soul, it doesn’t steer the ship; this ship is steered by the Holy Spirit. Hence, the “Come to Jesus” meeting.
David was in the middle of some great trial. Apparently he had been there a long time, so long that his soul became downcast. His soul was ready to wave the white flag. So David had a “Come to God” meeting with his soul.
“Why are you downcast, soul?”, David asked. Then he commanded his soul to put his hope in his God, his savior. David not only reminded his soul that he was friends with the Almighty, All Powerful, All Present, All Knowing God but that his God was able and willing to save him. David then said, “soul, I’m going to help you get over yourself. Let us remember the heights, our past victories.”
David did not allow his soul to continue to focusing on his current circumstance but to remember what God had done previously, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. David reminded his soul that the same God who saved his soul previously, who parted a Red Sea, who was with him in battle after battle, was the same God who would save him from his current situation.
Is your soul causing you to fear? (It has to be your soul because God didn’t give you a spirit of fear.) Is your soul causing you to despair? Is your soul trying to steer the ship to the island of hopelessness? Has 20 days of quarantine have your soul speaking the language of complaining, impatience, harshness, sarcasm? Well, today is a good day to have an intervention with your soul.
Remind your soul today that he is not the boss. This ship is steered by the Holy Spirit. Remind your soul that it must acquiesce because the fruit of the Spirit is alive and flourishing within you. Talk to your soul today and remind him about God’s goodness, His faithfulness, His loving kindness. Remind your soul today that “You can do all things, including thrive in a Pandemic, through Christ who gives you strength.” Remind your soul that God is good and you are loved. Put your soul in a room and force you soul to listen to worship music. Take out you bibles and read scripture to your soul.
Friends, put on your big boy or big girl pants and take authority over your soul! It does not get the final say.
“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. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.”
Psalm 42:5-6 NIV