“Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.”- Mark 4:7
John Ortberg concludes Chapter 3 of Soul Keeping with his discussion of the cluttered soul.
3. The Cluttered Soul. The soul becomes cluttered when worries, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for things other than God come and choke the soul. Pastor Ortberg observes that a long time ago someone said that if the Devil can’t make you sin, he will make you busy. Either way, your soul shrivels.
John emphasizes that clutter is possibly the most dangerous result because it is so subtle. We become preoccupied with externals, mistaking our clutter for life. We reason that if we cease to be busy, we won’t matter. The author notes that what Jesus calls “desire” is the Velcro of the soul- and the busy soul gets attached to the wrong things. The soul needs only a tiny, little uncluttered space for room to grow.
It takes softness and depth and space to save a soul. The world is of little help. Pastor Ortberg ends with this description of the soul:
“I have been waiting . . . . I can only whisper, never shout. You may never even notice me. . . . I can be wounded, lost, repulsed, or redeemed. Your circumstances actually matter far less to your happiness than you think. It is my health that makes your life heaven or hell, I am your soul. I am here.”
Today’s question: Which soul- hardened, shallow, or cluttered- is most descriptive of your current station on your transitional journey? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The planet of lost souls”
