Soul Work

I blogged on friends versus dating and talked about how both people in the relationship need time to do their on-soul work. And how both individuals must have an awareness of flaws, past trauma, and preferences. But this does not just stop at romantic relationships. Emotional intelligence is needed in families, friendships, communities, on the job- any social situation, really. We need soul work!

The soul comprises 5 areas, Emotion, intellect/reason, memory/imagination, and will.

Here in our soul lies the difference between having peace or uproar. To sleep in the storm or to panic. Doubt, worry, or assurance. Being shaken by another person’s words, actions, or threats or calm in the face of them. Whether fear grips or leaves. Joy or frustration.

Emotions 

Emotions are the most significant part of our souls; they are the most vocal part of the human soul-they can override the other components (Timothy Jorgenson).

People get addicted to the highs and lows of emotions. They like drama and therefore unable to live in the Spirit and do what God would do in situations. God wants us to mature enough that we know how to conquer and direct our emotions.

We need to gather data on our emotions and test the hypothesis of the word of God against our feelings.

Growth activity: When you have various emotions see if your first thought is to surrender them to God and respond the way he would or see if you react out of the Emotion.

Intellect

God is intelligent. Look at the intricate details of this world and how he created us. I still wonder how God thought of veins, and nails, taste buds, lol. How he came up with the ant and fruit flies.

We are also intelligent- we get it from our daddy. However, we can show to be foolish with our intellect by rebelling against God. Thinking we know better than him, challenging him, refusing to obey him, and trying to fit GOD into our minds. We destroy the intent of things when we do this; We hurt what God loves (even ourselves), we do what God hates.

Growth Activity: Draw a large circle and inside that circle of how much you know about the present, past, and future about every plant, animal, mineral, element, biological and chemical law, astronomy, physics (every field of study, computers-technological advance, and analysis. The medical field, history, every detail of relationships, all the arts, all knowledge of spiritual realm and God, all knowledge of every book and course ever written taught in every university, every event in history and so forth all represented in that circle. Your level of knowledge of all that might be a tiny dot in that huge circle. (Excerpt paraphrased from Timothy Jorgenson, The Spirit Life Training).

This will help us to be humble and know our intellect comes from God and run to him to train our minds. Renewal of the mind begins with the awareness and acknowledgment that God IS.

Memory

Memory is the basis of our decision-making processes, whether conscious or unconscious. Conversations we have had, experiences we had, books we read, etc., all contribute to our decisions. These are sometimes difficult to sort out. Especially when they are unconscious or invisible wounds without your knowing the origin. This also poses an issue when our bodies respond to memories. This is common with trauma and toxic relationship patterns. Our responses to people have to do with us more than it does them. Vise versa- and People’s reactions to us have a lot more to do with them than it does you. It touched an invisible wound, insecurity, trauma, etc. This is how so many relationships/ friendships, family relationships tear apart. Being in self-preservation mode cuts off humility and love. We can always replace memories in our body and mind to be healthy, but we must first pay attention.

Growth Activity: Paying attention to thoughts and choosing to reject toxic thought patterns is the key. Jot down feelings that may arise in your body when “triggered.” Think, “where did this come from?” What did they trigger? What is the underlying root issue I need to deal with? Then take it to the Lord in Prayer.

Imagination

Our imagination is a tool that helps to take us places before we even get there. Unfortunately, when we use it for things that do not build up the kingdom of God, then it does more harm to our soul than good. Imagine a person getting up from their wheelchair walking or a sick patient being healed. These are things we are to imagine with our imagination. We envision people being hurt and harmed for breaking us- “getting what they deserve.” We imagine perversion when we see someone good-looking. Our imagination is supposed to take our minds to heavenly places while here on earth. As it is in heaven! Let us mimic heaven with our imagination.

Growth activity: Read descriptions or scriptures in the bible of the New Testament life of believers. Look at Jesus’s life and imagine living that life- pray your reality lines up with your imagination.

Our Will

Our Wills is our decision to choose. We choose yes or no. Before Jesus came on the scene, died, and resurrected, we did not have much of a choice. Our soul indeed ran the show. I think God knew that we would run out of animals having to kill them for each sin sooner than we would with everyone on the planet-eating them, lol (light humor) ?. I imagine he was like, poor children, let me send them some help and a way out. Now we can choose whether we have power and authority over our soul and all that it involves. Talk about freedom. I believe that God has a book with everyone’s name on it with all the beautiful things lined up for the lives that we could possibly have- his divine will. But he also gives us choices- permissive will. He’s such a loving God; he gives us free will to choose him or not. Now with the options come long lifestyle choices of where we live for eternity, heaven or hell. If I were a betting person and I’m not, I would not bet on my Emotion, intellect/reason, memory/imagination, and my will over the infinite, all-knowing, all-powerful God’s Will for my life. Therefore, much of society falls under the category of 2nd Timothy 3:1-9. They are betting on themselves. People ask if God is good, then why is their evil – why do people do others so wrong? And soul work comes down to these simple two words- Who’s Will? Will it be our Will or his Will? Perhaps when Jesus even wrestled with this, he said Not my will but your will!

Growth activity: Look at 2nd Timothy 3:10-17 Ask God how you can apply this to your life- how his will can be entwined with your will so much that they are one.

What profit does it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?

Do the soul work!