“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar” (Psalm 42:5-6).
“Christian Psychology” is an entire movement that has steered the church away from dependence upon Christ, His Word, and His Holy Spirit as the only sufficient means to deal with all our spiritual problems. There is such a thing as Biblical psychology since man is created as body and soul. The Greek word for soul is “psuche” and from this word is derived the English term psychology. Scripture deals with man’s psychology as regards the heart, mind, or soul and directs him to Christ and the Word of God at every point. Today’s psychologists focus upon humanistic therapies and theories, which essentially eclipse Christ’s Word and Spirit (1 Cor. 1:17-21). They teach such things as the basic goodness of human nature, that answers come from within, that attitudes and actions are changed by looking to one’s past, that individual problems are the result of others actions done to me, etc. However, these humanistic therapies and theories are based upon presuppositions that are contrary to the teaching of Scripture and do a great disservice to the church by telling Christians that there are other means to heal the soul other than Christ, His Word, and Holy Spirit.
Today the therapist calls sin a sickness and therefore prescribes a therapy rather than repentance. Habitual sin is called addictive behavior and the solution of today’s therapist is medical care rather than the spiritual correctives of Scripture. According to Scripture, the path to spiritual wholeness in the Christian life is sanctification, which comes about only by God’s grace, Word, and Spirit. Jesus Christ alone is the wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6) who leads His sheep to living waters, green pastures, and restores their soul (Psalm 23). When David was downcast in his soul his only response was to turn to God (Psalm 42). When he was spiritually depleted after his sin with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah his only recourse after a year of trying to cover it up and deal with it in a humanistic way was to confess his sins to the Lord. “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:3-8). Also read Psalm 51 and see how David addressed the issue of his sin-grieved soul.
Jesus Christ suffered more trauma in His soul than any person who ever lived or shall live, and yet His response was always to run to God the Father through prayer and Scripture as He walked by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus cried out, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death…” (Matt. 26:38), you will notice that He went immediately to His Father in prayer to address the sorrowful death-like depression of His soul (Matt 26:39). As believers, we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) and therefore we are called to walk as Christ walked (1 John 2:6; Col. 2:6; Phil. 2:5) as those being conformed into His very image (Rom. 8:29). Therefore, in all our struggles in life, which are ultimately soul issues, we must turn to the only remedy for the soul, which is Christ, His Word, and Spirit. The Apostle Peter wrote: “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…” (2 Peter 1:2-3). Everything we need to live the Christian life is found in Christ and therefore we must seek Him (Col. 3:1) through His Word (Heb. 1:2, 4:12) by the power of the Holy Spirit and in diligent prayer as we deal with every issue regarding our soul in this troubled life. As the writer to the Hebrews declared, we must keep on “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Hebrews 12:2-3).
Dear Christian, examine this matter in light of Scripture and let the Holy Spirit deal with your soul and direct you into all truth by His Word for His glory, honor and praise!