GodReflection:Is It Well with My Soul?
“When I come to be united to thee with all my being, then there will be no more pain and toil for me, and my life shall be a real life, being wholly filled by thee.” ― Augustine of Hippo, The Confessions
A new construction project always catches my eye. I grew up with a dad who was a builder. From foundation and slab the walls were erected, the roof was framed and shingles nailed down. Floors, ceilings and walls were covered by paint and tiles. The builder built with a finished product in mind. It took a good supply of quality material to complete a worthy project.

A part of every construction site was the distractors. To make progress was to create what was called rubble. It was to be discarded. Rubble was the worthless small pieces cut from the wood, broken tile and brick, empty supply boxes, sawdust, pipe and wire fragments, and countless other discards. This construction trash had to be cleaned constantly from underfoot.

It was the job of the contractor to help the workers and service providers manage the rubble and to keep progress in sight. He encouraged all to work toward completion. Construction time would end one day and the goal would be complete.

As my brother and I got older it was not uncommon to get roped into participation with rubble control. With wheelbarrows, brooms and square point shovels we were to clear out the distractors so that good material would have room to enter and complete the project.

I see an analogy for my soul. I don’t think it is too much to conclude that I am the one the Lord assigned to clear out the distractors from my soul. However, there is one caveat—God’s Holy Spirit resides in my soul to help me with rubble control.

Jesus spoke of filth that comes from the mouth in speech (Matthew 15:10). The filth flows from distractors in the human soul.

Paul addresses this same rubble by use of the words sin and evil (Romans 7 and 8). Graphically, he describes the battle that goes on at the soul’s center. It is the conflict between distractors and builders. He depicts the assignment of clearing rubble from the soul.

Perhaps the section of Holy Scripture that provides the clearest instructions on how to clean out soul distractors is found in Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia. In chapter five he calls the distractors flesh and the builders resources from the Spirit.

The truth is I don’t need much help in rubble identification. As Paul says, the acts of the flesh are obvious (Galatians 5:19).

However, just to make sure his readers don’t miss it he goes on to make a list of fifteen categories of soul trash: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (19-21).

I suspect ever bit of rubble that has ever resided in my soul or dwells there now will fit somewhere in his list. If that is not broad enough then his and the like should catch the rest.

The good news comes with the soul builders. The Spirit of God helps me clean out the rubble (distractors). He provides a good supply of quality material in the form of fruit to help me build toward completion.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (22-23).

The fruit builders crowd out the distractors when I live in a manner that allows the Spirit to lead. Paul concludes: Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (25).

The old churchman Augustine may have been on to something. As I learn to walk in step with the Holy, the pain and toil of life flow into a journey of eventual submission and my life (my soul) becomes more and more real life as it moves toward a time when I become wholly filled by The Spirit.

Seems like an offer too good to pass up don’t you think?

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection: Soul Distractors—Soul Builders
Gary@Godreflection.org
http://www.GodReflection.org
http://www.MakeYourVisionGoViral.com