5. My soul, though it has great potential for goodness, will deteriorate without discipline.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE A HEALTHY SOUL? AN UNHEALTHY SOUL?

WHAT DO YOU THINK KEEPS A SOUL HEALTHY?

HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE THE HEALTH OF YOUR SOUL?

Decay is inevitable in the physical life. Although our bodies go through seasons of growth, eventually they will decline and die. Our souls, like our bodies, are also subject to decay. But unlike our bodies, our souls are capable of ongoing growth and eternal life. Whether we grow or decay depends on our heart.

When our heart grows and matures, we become more loving, kind, gentle, peaceful, joyful, submissive, humble, compassionate, tender, and available. We also become less driven, less materialistic, less self-centered, and less critical. But when the heart deteriorates it becomes angry, envious, impatient, lazy, proud, lustful, judgmental, critical, selfish, manipulative, and materialistic. The good news is that despite this tendency toward decay and collapse, this decay can be resisted though effort and discipline.

Without discipline, the heart will decay and become weak. But spiritual disciplines can help resist the natural decay of the heart and aid a person in a process of growth throughout their entire life. Jesus captures this when He says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves [discipline] and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Matthew 16:24-26, NIV). Jesus is not saying this to make us feel guilty or to manipulate us, He is simply describing what is most true about our reality.

It is sad to see people give more attention to disciplining their bodies than their hearts. Our bodies last only for a number of years and decay and death are inevitable despite our efforts at physical exercise and discipline. Yet our souls and hearts will last forever. If we put all of our discipline into preserving the body, our hearts will decay and experience a type of death. On the other hand, if we make our hearts the primary area of attention, discipline, and growth, we will find abundance of life in our earthly existence and enjoy the same for eternity.