Soul Custody: Choosing to Care for the One and Only You

Top Highlights

“Peterson calls it being ‘able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.’ It’s a paraphrase expression for one of the fruits of the Spirit. We’re familiar with it as ‘self-control’ (Gal. 5:23). Caring for your soul is just this: marshalling your energies wisely to live and enjoy life. It’s deciding what is important, making space in your life for what really matters.” (source)

“Caring for your soul is never a selfish or egotistical act. In fact, caring for your soul is the opposite of being narcissistic. It is really an act of stewardship. We steward our souls by caring for them well. How can we continually give what we do not have? Caring for the soul is an act through which God can replenish your heart, restore your soul, and revive your day so you can meet the challenges of life, work, and relationships. Far from being labeled as sin, soul care is actually a biblical command.” (source)

“But some of us will not hinge our desires to our souls. We will let them lie like sleeping dogs that look comfortable and seem like they don’t want to be disturbed. We will not explore our own desires and longings because they are painful to uncover and examine. We will choose to be safe and remain as we are rather than let desires do their deep and disturbing work of unleashing us from lives that we have always known to embrace lives that might be.” (source)

“Here’s the bottom line: A life of prolonged busyness, engaging with people, performing tasks, and expanding your knowledge about God does not help you experience God. More information, no matter how good it is, does not yield a transformed life. Transformation and deep change are ushered in by experiencing God, not just knowing about God. And stillness is required.” (source)