November 27 - A Calm and Quiet Soul
It is extremely hard to quiet down our soul so that there is peace and tranquility within. The functions of our human soul lie in our thinking, feeling and choosing. The intellectual side, the emotional side and the volitional side are all taking on lives of their own and sometimes, they are so out of control. There is a world of ideas out there and we are bombarded with new trends and new thoughts all the time. Our relational world arouses both good and bad feelings within. Most of us are quite confused as to what to choose. If you are experiencing this dilemma, you need to go to the Lord for a calm and quiet soul.
According to the psalmist, the biggest problem of the human soul is pride. We are told to improve ourselves, to go beyond what we are doing and to achieve our true potentials. The psychology of the self has brought in so many self-help books. We try to build up our self-esteem and confidence, indirectly boosting up our own ego. Refusing limitations, overcoming obstacles and looking for breakthroughs are on our daily agenda. It is so difficult to be a weaned child, no longer needing to go to the mother for milk and other things.
Just imagine that one day, you can say to yourself, “I am happy with where I am, there are no more needs in my life for the Lord has supplied all my needs. My prayers are no longer asking God for things that cannot satisfy. My greatest reward is God Himself.” If one day, there is no more striving, no more need to prove yourself, no need to look good in front of others, no need to compete and no need to look for greener or better pastures. In a word, you are totally and completely satisfied. Is that possible?
King Nebuchadnessar was king of the most powerful country on earth but he was not satisfied. Even a dream disturbed him. He had to ask help from others and cannot even control his own destiny. Daniel, a Jewish exile and a young person, was his chief advisor. He was told to take care of his own sins and iniquities for there is a God higher than he. Unless he recognized this God, he would continue to experience unrest in his life.
A calmed and quieted soul involves the acceptance of our own limitations. We are not God and we need to let God be God. The control of our soul lies in our human spirit as we yield to the Holy Spirit who indwells in our spirit. Worship is to attribute worth to God, totally submitting our human thinking, feeling and choosing to the Spirit. A truly humble person is one who puts his total trust in God and not in himself. When your heart is not lifted up; your eyes not raised too high; when you accept who you are and who God is, peace will come into your life.
Ps 131:1-3 Dan 4:1-37 2 Pet 1:1-21 Prov 28:17-18