Most days we focus on survival – just making it through the day to do it all again tomorrow. And perhaps this is just our lot as we navigate certain seasons. But all too often our methods of survival cause us to lose touch with our very selves, and we become lost souls.
For instance, our daily life is not marked by peace, overflowing grace, or any sense of inner vitality. Instead we’re exhausted, weary, and on the verge of despair. And this is true even when we understand theologically our salvation is secure in Christ. We do not doubt our ultimate destination, but the condition of our daily lives leaves us far from the abundant life Christ came to give us.
We punch the clock at work unsure if what we’re doing makes a difference other than paying our bills. At home our hearts fill with contempt as it feels our wife is always blaming us for one thing or another. And perhaps we feel even God is out to get us when we don’t toe the line of his strict expectations.
Living daily under such pressure and dread makes us more vulnerable to stealing illicit pleasures and indulging in secret sins whenever we can get away with it. While it’s easy to blame external pressures or how others might treat us in these moments, what’s often overlooked is the condition of our own souls.
We no longer have the strength to fight for what matters, resist evil, and win races when we’re just trying to survive on a diet of bread and water. We cannot neglect our souls and expect them to be fruitful.
Our first step in loving well and making an impact for good in the world is simply reconnecting with our own souls. We must recover the depths of our being in God’s story to experience the fullness of his peace, grace, and life.
In the end, don’t just make it through life. Find your way home and discover the joy of reconnecting with the depths of your soul. This blesses you and everyone else as well.
Photo by Spencer Goggin on Unsplash
