If you could ask for one thing

If you could ask one thing of the Lord, what would it be? Restoration of health or finances? Peace in your country or in your heart? Family members to turn to God? The answer to that question is probably different for everyone.

A long time ago, God asked King Solomon that question and the King answered: 'Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may lead Your people'. And so King Solomon became the wisest man that ever lived and God added wealth, possessions, and honor like no other king ever had (you can read that amazing story in 2 Chronicles 1).

Health is important, but so are peace and wisdom. I was reading Psalm 19 in my New Living Translation and I noticed God offers all that we need, in His Word. Take a look at verses 7 and 8.

• The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. Oh my goodness, how I need that every day! My health depends on a thriving soul!
• The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Yes, please Lord, yes, let it be me!
• The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. I know the joy of the Lord will be my strength, I need it!
• The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. I must have this in an ever-changing world that seems to have gone insane.

Such riches in God's Word: instructions, decrees (laws), commandments, and commands. 👉We may not always embrace such terms, but they are filled with spiritual riches. I discovered that in my own life when I started my writing journey.

While working on the book series about the Ten Commandments, I received a totally different perspective on God's laws and regulations. They are not restrictions, on the contrary, they offer great opportunities to heal our souls, to make us wise, to bring us joy, and to give us all the insight we will possibly need!

Guidelines

Following guidelines. In context of the Corona virus we are busy doing so on a worldwide scale these weeks. And that is a good habit. Washing hands regularly, keeping distance, working from home when possible ... well, you name it. Those guidelines are there to ensure our physical health.

I would like to share a few spiritual guidelines to ensure the health of our souls.

Last year I posted a series on this blog about a healthy soul and it focused on the words in 3 John 1:2,

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Just as your soul prospers. It is so important to keep that in mind, especially now that a virus is spreading that fills people with fear, absurd fear. Fear is not good for the soul, fear torments and it paralyzes.

So, how do we take good care of our souls? I have listed a few basic guidelines, hopefully, they will help you.

💦Spend time with Jesus
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened... and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29)
💦Praise and worship
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Psalm 103: 2) 
💦Listen to His voice
Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake (Isaiah 55: 3) 
💦Speak and receive sweet words
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones (Proverbs 16:24)

The healthy soul (4)

"If our soul has been damaged (in the past), we need inner healing and restoration" I wrote in my previous blog. Soul pain finds its cause  in disappointment, rejection, abuse, manipulation, curses, etc. etc. Very often damages to our soul can be traced back to childhood years and experiences.

👉Soul pain does not get cured by itself nor does it disappear because we ignore it! Very often self-medication (alcohol, (prescription) drugs, behavioral adjustment, isolation etc.) is being used to suppress this invisible pain.

I have heard that our soul is like a sponge that absorbs all our experiences (good and bad). If we do not squeeze a wet sponge regularly, it will become heavy and it will smell bad; this also applies to our soul.

The importance of  soul cleansing is crucial. It may not solve all physical problems, but I am convinced it will solve most. Soul cleansing basically means bringing our deepest secrets out in the open, talking them over with someone and praying together for healing. Let's go back to the text in 3 John 1: 2 where it says:

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Being healthy, just as (as well as, being similar to) our soul is doing well. Based on those words, I dare to say that a healthy soul is the foundation for good physical health and of course it starts with knowing for sure that we are safe in God's presence. The Psalmist describes it this way: Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. (Psalm 62: 1).

We can try all the medicines and therapies that the world has to offer, but only in God will we truly find peace for our souls. From there, further healing can and will follow, although often step by step. And yes, that will bring us back to the invitation of the Lord Jesus: Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls...

The healthy soul (3)

"Taking care of good physical health cannot be separated from taking care of a healthy soul," I wrote in my previous blog and I added that Jesus invites us to find peace for our souls with Him. However, that does not mean that trauma and damage will disappear with the click of a finger, it takes time.

I find it very interesting that Jesus is called the Overseer of our souls. In 1 Peter 2:25 we can read:

For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The Greek word for overseer there is επισκοπος (episkopos) and it means "overseer, supervisor". So we could say that Jesus watches over our souls to make sure that everything goes well. It is only logical that we should discuss our soul issues with Him. The Holy Spirit is thereby a Helper and Counselor.

👉It can be good to discuss soul issues with another person as well. It will greatly help to pray together and ask the Holy Spirit to give wisdom and revelation about the root of the pain and then be quiet together and listen to His soft voice. God wants to go beyond  pain relief, He wants to heal.

If our soul has been damaged (in the past), we need inner healing and restoration. When that happens, physical healing often takes place as well. The Bible also shows us how we can take care of our souls on  daily basis:

• Proverbs 2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
• Proverbs 3: 21-22 My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul.
• Proverbs 13: 3 He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his soul
• Proverbs 16:24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

We can spend our lives trying all kinds of medicines, remedies and therapies to suppress or alleviate the pain, but nothing will really help if we don't discuss it with God. I am reminded of the words of Jesus in Mark 8:36, For what will it profit a person if he wins the whole world and suffers damage to his soul?

Thank God, damage can be repaired!

The healthy soul (2)

To what extent does our soul influence our physical health, you may wonder? The answer is: more than you think!

The numbers vary, but the majority (some statistics say more than 85%) of our physical problems are psychosomatic.

Psychosomatic means: a physical  condition caused or aggravated by a mental factor such as internal conflict or stress.  It often means that doctors cannot find a physical explanation for symptoms we might have. This is not a shocking discovery. It is something that can be found in the Bible. In 3 John 1: 2 it says:

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Here, health is linked to the well-being of the soul. Quite a revelation, but also understandable when we consider what is going on in our soul. Secular writings interchangeably use spirit and soul, but Biblically speaking there is a clear difference (I wrote about this extensively in my book Grace of Giving).

The soul includes our emotions, our mind, our will, our memory and our imagination. Our soul stores things up, is sensitive, is easy to influence, can be damaged, but can also grow and flourish. Let me just mention a few scriptures as an example (read them in the context):

• Joshua 23:14 ... and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls...
• Psalm 35:9, ... and my soul shall be joyful in the LORD ...
• Psalms 41:4, ... have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
• Psalm 42:6 ... O my God, my soul is cast down within me?

And I can go on and on, you can search for 'soul' in the Bible. Taking care of good physical health cannot be separated from taking care of a healthy soul. That reminds me of the invitation Jesus gave:

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 (Matthew 11: 28-29).

The healthy soul (1)

Vacation time here in The Netherlands is just around the corner. For some it will be the perfect time to take a blog break, for others the right time to write or read blogs.

I usually opt for publishing a series of short blogs that are easy reading, yet inspiring. For example the summer ABC series I published several years ago. Still very encouraging!

In the coming weeks I am planning to write about the wounded soul and healing. Where did I get that idea? Well, we have just returned from a visit to Ukraine where we have prayed with many people for deliverance, salvation and healing. And I discovered again that most of the physical pain has an emotional root.

How soul pain manifests, is different for everyone.  People can experience a lot of pain as a result of rejection, abandonment, feeling unseen, abuse, oppression, disappointment and discouragement and so on, and so on. All these things are like stabbing wounds in the soul that fester and infect and come to the surface, sometimes years later, in physical problems for which doctors cannot find a cause and thus no proper cure.

During our ministry time in Ukraine, we have again experienced how the Holy Spirit can point out precisely such issues (which we have hidden deep down inside) so that healing, restoration and deliverance becomes possible. I want to devote a few blogs on this particular topic.

I sincerely hope you will read along, comment and/or share with friends.