We've all be told to take care of ourselves. In any particular context that might have to do with a long trip that we're about to take, some new health issue or something else. So, we make sure that the car is ready to go, that we watch what we eat and take our medicines, or whatever it may be. We want to take care of ourselves.
And yet, we only do part of what is necessary. We take care of our bodies but what about our souls? You do have a soul, you know. It isn't on automatic pilot so that it can take care of itself. In fact, God reminds us about this sort of thing.
Only take care, and keep your soul diligently … Deuteronomy 4.9
Taking care of your soul is something to be done diligently, says God. But what does that mean?
How interesting. We all know about the importance of taking care of our bodies and enough of what that means: right eating, enough sleep, excercise and such. And we know that if we don't care for our bodies at some point they, or rather we, will not do so well. But isn't it at least as important to take care of our souls? I can't help but think that a soul that is not cared for will have far worse consequences than a body that isn't cared for.
Since I hope to come back to this - to answer how to questions - I want only to get this idea on the table. You need to take care of your soul. Failure here can be fatal. My goal isn't to move you to some resolution like the kind many opt for after over-indulging during the holidays. Such a resolution often doesn't last. And the reason is clear. It's not seen as important as other things. That's not usually a wise choice, but it is a common one. What's needed for any lasting resolution is the awareness of how important it is.
Thus this question: How important is it to you that you care for your soul?