We are called to be creatures of balance. 

When God created the world with each weather pattern and cycle, the sun to bring light during the day and the moon to bring light at night, He was establishing a flow that brought balance.

In the animal kingdom with each carnivores food enough for them to survive, each herbivore enough vegetation to survive and each insect with in-built instructions to unknowingly aid the pollination process it was done to bring balance; with one part not out-weighing the other.

Human beings, God’s masterpiece of creation, was made no different; created to function at their optimum when there is balance.  Comprising of a body, soul, and spirit, though each part important the onus lies on each individual to find the balance that brings them to reach their fullest potential. Science has shown that too much of anything can cause us harm.  It is unfortunate to see that in the superficial world we live in, that a vast majority of people’s focus is not necessarily on cultivating each aspect of their being, their soul and spirit but more on the external picture of what they perceive as happiness, their body, resulting in disorder and ultimately chaos. Is it wrong to cultivate the body?  Absolutely not!

The key is not to shame those who do but bring the revelation to the fact that each part (body, spirit, and soul) that makes them who they are needs to be treated with an equal amount of respect.  With one look at humanity and the issues that plague us, it’s plain to see that not enough people have seen the value in being IN10TIONAL about the state of their soul, leaving them unhappy, anxious, and depressed and in dire need of some TLC.

So what is the soul?

The soul is the seat where a man or woman’s mind, will and emotions sit. The mind is our intellect, our will being our passion and desire to do something and our emotions, how we feel.  With each part of the soul briefly explained, one can clearly see that the soul is at the centre of every decision be it good or bad.  When habits are formed, they are decided upon first in the soul.  So how do we bring about the balance of soul you may ask?  The answer is simple.  In the same way, we set goals to reach fitness levels for our bodies, which is the same way we can set goals for our soul.

Here are 5 goals for the soul you can use to improve the health of your soul.

1) Spend time with God

The most important goal for your soul is to spend time with the One who created you.  Be it early in the morning or during the day or even at night, your soul needs to feed off of the presence of God.  In Psalm 63:1 King David wrote, “My soul thirsts for you,” revealing two things about the soul.  The first is that it has the ability to become parched, dry and thirsty.  The second is the solution to quenching its thirst – the presence of God.

2) Forgive people

Unforgiveness is a merciless master who makes you buy into the lie that you’d be better off living behind walls with grudges.  It does this with the intention of isolating and draining your soul of every good and enriching thing that comes your way.  Relationships become strained making the channel of giving and receiving difficult between people.  Conversely, forgiveness is liberating.  No longer allowing the hurts of others to determine how you live your own life.  Constantly check your soul for unforgiveness by observing your attitude around certain people.  If you feel uneasy where there once was ease or are tempted to rejoice at their short-comings there may be a root of unforgiveness that needs to be dealt with.

3) Grow spiritually

The spirit and soul are closely interlinked because our spiritual growth can improve the condition of our soul.  Spiritual growth entails spending time in prayer, talking to God and listening to Him.  Reading the bible to understand the mind of God and learn how we could allow His word to change our thoughts.  A vital aspect of spiritual growth is praise and worship which changes the atmosphere around us and enhances our mood.  Can you see how spiritual growth can positively influence your soul?

4) Spend time with likeminded people

The familiar saying that birds of a feather flock together should be your truth.  As your soul begins to gain healthy habits, sustaining that way of life would require (as sung by the Beatles) that you get by with a little help from your friends.  True friends should encourage and uplift you but also help guide you when you veer off the path.

5) Share your faith with someone else

Lastly, share your faith.  This brings a two-fold reward.  What it does for others is it gives them the opportunity to join in the soul IN10TIONALITY while, re-enforcing and validating what you believe.

Being IN10TIONAL in your soul means setting objectives.  In doing so, you commit to cultivating one of the most important components that make up who you are.  Just remember that Rome was not built in a day, so be patient with yourself and take your time with each goal.  As time goes on you will find that it will get easier to prioritize your soul health. 

I encourage you right now to take a deep breath, hold it for 4 seconds and breathe out, 3 times.  Every time you do think about how blessed you are to be alive, determine to rejoice in today and be glad in it.  Release all negative emotions and be in IN10TIONAL about your soul!