Spirit vs. Soul

As I mentioned in my blog entry on Friday, I wanted to use this past weekend to gather my thoughts and remember the true reason why I felt lead to start sharing through a blog this summer. I have been caught up in my own emotions these past few weeks, focusing more on myself and less on the bigger plan I know the Lord has for my life. Worried more about today, on what people think, on the things of the world…

The Lord was so gracious to use a lesson in the Bible Study I am currently going through with my Small Group (“Daniel”: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy by Beth Moore) to help me discover that my tendency is to make decisions based on my emotions. I seem to ignore the fact that the calling of the Holy Spirit is much deeper and powerful than what I feel or sense in my emotions. And because a particular passage in Beth Moore’s study made such an impact on me this weekend, I would like to share it now. I give all credit to the Lord for leading Beth to share these words in her study and am thankful I meet with a group of girls each week that are helping me walk through these lessons each week.

“Daniel” by Beth Moore
Week Nine, Day Five

Every person born on planet Earth is comprised of spirit, soul, and body. The terms “spirit” and “soul” are often used interchangeably in Scripture, but when the Word of God distinguishes between the two immaterial parts of man, the soul can often be pictured as the seat of our emotions and personalities. The spirit, on the other hand, may be generalized as the part of us with the capacity to know God. First Corinthians 6:17 tells us, “He who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” In other words, when we accept Christ as Savior, His Spirit takes us residence in our spirits (see Romans 8:9).

In my own attempts to distinguish my desires from an authentic word from God, I find that what God reveals to me in my “spirit” is deeper than what I feel or sense in my emotions or, for the sake of distinguishing the difference, my “soul.” In other words, when I can put aside my feelings for a moment, what I still consistently sense as the leading of the Holy Spirit I assume to be a clearer word from God. Feelings come and go, but do I have a greater certainty at a deeper level that I have heard from God on a matter?

My answer in YES. I know with all my heart that I began this blog as a calling. A message I clearly heard from the Holy Spirit. Though I catch myself thinking about how I’ve already “messed it up”, I know the better explanation is that I’m human. I choose to believe God today and I want to be obedient. So instead of focusing on how I feel, I will follow the Lord’s calling and trust that He will give me the words to share. I have a journal full of words I’m excited to type and share—reflections of where I was five years ago this summer. The struggles I faced in the summer of 2004 look somewhat different than the struggles I’m facing in the summer of 2009. But the one thing that hasn’t changed is the Lord’s faithfulness.

I pray that the Spirit of the Lord will fill you up and guide you today. I am thankful for my health and pray the Lord will use my life and story for His glory. I’m grateful that He continues to teach me valuable lessons that I can share with others. I trust the Lord will give me the confidence to pick up where I left off a few weeks ago and I’m thankful He’s the Author of my story.