Medicine for the Soul

“I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.” (Ps 41:4 AV)

The effect of sin goes deeper than the flesh.  We see the external consequences of sin because they are easily discerned.  We see that lying comes back on us and we are caught in our deception.  We see pride harms us by a lack of deep friendships.  We see our lust as a problem because it adds pounds or strains our relationships.  We see the lack of discipline manifest itself in our checkbooks.  The list goes on.  What we do not consider is the internal consequences of sin.  Sin is a disease.  A disease of the mind and heart.  These are affected by the sin which comes from them.  Our minds become warped.  Our hearts become hardened.  In short, sin harms the soul.  Deep down inside, the part that is truly us is damaged.  The good news is, the soul can be healed.  Our bodies will fail.  But the soul will live on.  Our minds weaken.  But our souls can continue to grow.  The soul is the one part of us that can heal this side of glory.  It starts with confession and forsaking.

I have broken a few bones in my time.  I have broken a finger.  I have broken a toe.  And, I have broken my wrist.  I won’t bore you with the details of how that happened because I am sure that the details of that event have been shared in a previous post.  What I can tell you is the pain from a broken bone is unique and hard to describe.  Most injuries are external.  Cuts, bruises, and burns are common.  These types of injuries can take topical treatments for almost immediate relief.  We can dress them with bandages and salve.  We can nurse them back to health and quicken the healing process.  But when a bone is broken, it is in a place that is hard to access.  The pain is deep, intense, and throbbing.  The pain goes to the depths of one’s person.  I cannot adequately describe that pain other than to say it is in the center of the body and permeates outward rather than inward.  To that end, this pain is something that is not easily mitigated without the help of drugs.  This pain is deep and almost impossible to quickly mitigate.

So it is with our souls.  When we sin, the consequences go deeper than what is easily seen.  There is damage to the very person that we are.  This truth is not readily contemplated.  We often treat the external consequences of sin.  We go on a diet.  We remove all enticements to lust.  We get help balancing the checkbook.  We change our behavior towards others to present a more humble spirit.  The fact remains there is still damage that no one sees.  There are still deep down issues that remain.  There are still hurts we have caused that must be addressed.  These hurts can only be healed by a source that can reach them.  The Bible divides asunder soul and spirit.  The word of God, ministered by the Spirit of God is the only salve that can heal a sin-sick soul.  Counsel at the hands of those with the gift of discernment and extensive working knowledge of the word of God is a tool oft used to heal the sick soul.  Our choices have harmed us more than the outward man.  Many go through life never addressing the damage choices have made to the inner man.  David cries out for healing.  Healing that only God can provide.  Healing that can only mend the soul sickened by one’s own wickedness.