We are fearfully and wonderfully made. But often we maintain a limited view of ourselves. For many, our Self is simply our inner world of thoughts and feelings. I think, therefore I am. And certainly this is part of Self. But to appreciate the full reality of our being we must include our body, soul, and spirit, and not assume one speaks more than the other.
Our bodies speak to our physical existence as flesh and blood individuals, while our souls name the inner world of the psyche, or personal thoughts and feelings. And our spirits are that part of us able to sense and connect with the transcendent – namely God himself and true love with each other.
In this way, we are three-dimensional – body, soul, and spirit functioning like a triple-braided cord. And we miss the fullness of who God has created us to be when we don’t value and honor each dimension in harmony with each other.
For instance, we are more than just our bodies. And we risk dehumanizing and objectifying each other when we see each other as just a collection of body parts for our own amusement. We restore the dignity of those so abused by remembering and caring for their souls and spirits as well.
However, while we are more than just bodies, we cannot devalue our bodily existence and still reflect the dignity God has given us. Certainly, what we think and feel about ourselves matters. But this doesn’t negate the objective reality of our physical being. And we must consistently ground our inner world of thoughts and feelings in the earthy limitations of our physical bodies. Our imaginations can open many new doors, but we deny our True Self when we don’t accept and respect the body God has given us.
Whatever it looks like, understanding the Self means holding body, soul, and spirit in harmony together. And we dishonor who God created us to be when we do otherwise.
In the end, discover the fullness of life by living in the reality of your triple-braided self.
Photo by Josh Johnson on Unsplash
