Soul work...

All of us who are spiritually mature should have this same attitude. But if some of you have a different attitude, God will make this clear to you. 
~ Philippians 3:15
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Yesterday I spent time with a man who shared that he felt like he was "losing his soul."  This was the first time I had ever encountered someone saying this.  When I asked him to tell me more about the feeling, he shared, "I just feel like I can't find myself any longer.  I am losing touch with who I am."

He was definitely at a place where he felt lost, but it had more to do with the person that he was before his illness, rather than what God was leading him to be.

I have heard more than once that "Dying is easy.  Living is hard."

Remaining in touch with who we are, even as we journey through the valley of the shadow of death, is a struggle that I encounter with folks from all walks of life. 

Last summer I spent time with a father of two children that was dying.  He had done everything that he could to ensure that when he died his family would be cared for.  He spent time replacing a back door that had some rust on it, changed out three toilets in the house because he felt that in the next five years they may need work, he bought birthday and Christmas gifts, as well as, high school graduation.  He even took his fourteen year old daughter to a wedding venue and recorded the two of them dancing so that on the day of her wedding, there would be a video of the first "Father / Daughter dance."  He had tried to think of "everything."

While he planned for so many things, what we didn't think about was, "What would happen if he lost touch with who he was?"

In the final days of his life, the cancer effected his brain and we literally "lost" him.  It was both terrifying and sad at the same time, but as he lived out his final hours, his soul managed to make itself known as he quietly lived out his final moments.

Losing our soul takes many forms, but for those of us who are healthy and living each day, we find that we lose our soul when we become distracted by and preoccupied with all that is happening around us.  It is in these moments that we are taken away from what God wants us to focus upon.

We are reminded to remain calm.  Not to be anxious.  And to focus on our faith.  As we are reminded that we are to possess faith, hope and love, the love that God has for our soul always remains. 

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2019