Your Soul Needs a Keeper

January 21, 2024

“Who is responsible for that?” This is the question asked about everything from cleaning the kitchen to paying the national debt. In a world where it seems like we are encouraged to take responsibility for less and less, it is no wonder that so many have failed to take responsibility for the care and feeding of their soul. Join us for part 2 of The Care and Feeding of the Human Soul as we learn three things only you can do for your soul.

Listen to Podcast

Passage

Ezekiel 18

Principle

##You## ##alone## are responsible for the ##well-being## of your ##soul##.

Practice

Three things only you can do to care for your soul:

Accept ##responsibility## for the ##keeping## of your ##soul##.
Make a searching and fearless ##moral## ##inventory## of your ##soul##.
“Arrange your days so that you experience total ##contentment##, ##joy##, and ##confidence## in your everyday life with God.” – Dallas Willard.

Small Group Questions

Use this outline for personal reflection, as a couple or family devotion, or with a small group.

HANGOUT

Do you believe our society encourages personal responsibility? Why or why not? How is the right to pursue happiness different from the right to be happy? Today, we will look at three stories that remind us that we are responsible for the well-being of our souls.

HEAR

Read Genesis 3:6-13

Why did Adam and Eve hide? Who were they hiding from? What was God’s response?
Did Adam and Eve take responsibility for their actions?
Have you ever tried to hide from God?

Read Psalm 51:1-7

What caused David to pray this prayer? (see 2 Samuel 11 & 12)
How is David’s response to his sin different from Adam and Eve’s response?
Have you ever been confronted with an undeniable example of your sin and brokenness? How did you respond?

Read Luke 12:13-21

What prompted Jesus to tell this parable?
What was the condition of the rich man’s outer world? How did that compare to the condition of his soul (inner world)? How do we know the condition of the rich man’s soul?
Are you focused more on your outer or inner world? What will you do this week to attend to your soul?

HUDDLE

What brings you contentment, joy, and confidence in your everyday life with God? What can you do to arrange your days to experience more of that? Talk about it, invite accountability, and take time to pray together.

Daily Reading

Day 1: Ezekiel 18
Day 2: Luke 12
Day 3: Psalms 6
Day 4: Psalm 37
Day 5: Psalm 42
Day 6: Psalm 101
Day 7: Psalm 142

Think Deeper

Have you ever felt a disconnection between your outer and inner worlds? 
Why do people focus exclusively on their outer world while their inner world collapses?
What will you do this week to care for your soul?