Soul Camp- 2
Thought- It’s not just you body that gets worn out and needs restoration, it’s also your soul.
Scripture- “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
Insight: Yesterday we discussed the concept of Soul Camp, and doing an assessment of your soul by honestly asking yourself some very relevant questions. Today, we will begin to ponder some remedies if you, like me, concluded that your soul is tired and in need of restoration and repair in order to live a more peaceful and contented life.
The first step after concluding your soul needs repair is to find out where your life is out of balance or alignment, in your relation to God’s road map for how best to live. Alignment problems always lead to bigger problems down the road, so we need to be brutally honest with ourselves and be willing to make the necessary changes. The very first and biggest question we need to answer is “Am I putting God first in my life?” In other words, is He the “filing cabinet” through which all the other “files” in my life are processed, or is He simply just another file, given the same status and time as career, money, relationships, kids, sports, hobbies, leisure etc. etc. This was something I had to seriously admit was out of whack in my life about ten years ago and begin to re-adjust my lifestyle so that He wasn’t just another folder in my life, but He was the very center of my life and the lens through which I viewed all other aspects, or folders, of my life. This took some prayer and adjustment, but it wasn’t really as hard as I expected. I simply needed to make sure He was the first thing I thought about in the morning when I woke up and the last thing I thought about before I went to bed. I also had to make spending time in His word a much bigger priority than it had previously been.
This is where the scripture from above in 2 Timothy 3:16 really becomes important when it says “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16 I needed some re-training and scripture was the vessel through which God could re-train me. We all need correcting from time to time, but this isn’t a bad thing, it is actually the blessing that began to restore my soul as I began to follow God’s life plan more effectively. Admitting we are out of alignment is the beginning step, seeking truth from scripture is the next step, and this is true for any situation or event in your life.
The 3rd and final step is a relationship growing in intimacy that can be measured by time spent and desire to pursue. Much like a human relationship, the amount of time spent with God will prove how serious you are about having Him be the most important relationship in your life. Seeking, praying, listening, and meditating are all signs of a growing relationship. The net result will be a healthier soul, just like time spent with a trainer in a gym will lead to a healthier body. The peace and contentment will overcome any perceived misconceptions you may have at the beginning about inconvenience or lack of time. In fact, supernaturally God seems to slow time down when you are in His presence. Certainly, a very real benefit given the time compressed rat race most people live their lives in today. Soul Camp should be a real as a fitness Boot Camp. Both body and soul need restoration from the stresses of living in a sinful, fallen world.
Prayer: Father God, thank you that your Word found in the Bible is alive and active and can be used for any situation we encounter in our lives. It is as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago and maybe more so because of all the “fake news” that exists in social media. Help us to put your first in all things. In Jesus name I pray. Amen!