Ray Stevens, of “Ahab the Arab” fame, once wrote a gospel song called “Have a Little Talk With Myself.”
A little private conversation
A little self examination
A little attitude correction
A little soul-searching inspection
Start heading in the right direction
Take a little walk – have a little talk with myself.
Can you relate? It’s biblical. Check out the times the Bible uses the phrase “O my soul.” That’s a case of somebody having a little talk with themselves, and for good reason.
Three times in Psalm 103, and twice in the next one, the psalmist encourages his soul to bless the Lord. In other places, there’s a chat with the soul over periods of unrest or depression. Judges 5:21 has the poetic rally, “O my soul, march on with strength!” I want to put that on a mirror or a monitor or a dashboard somewhere.
Why the dialogue? First, because so much of our power – for good or evil – arises out of our inward parts – our mind, will, and emotions. It’s an inside job! So there are seasons in which we are wise to “call out” the soul. To call it out to courage, to encouragement, to peace, and to praise.
Second, in every case in scripture, the implication seems to be that the soul needs dialogue, or calling out. It’s easy to become fearful, anxious, or depressed. Those are all soul (mind, will, emotions) issues. It’s also easy to forget, or to become spiritually lethargic. That’s why Paul talks about “renewing the mind” in Romans 12:2.
Take a little walk with your soul. Check out ways your soul – mind, will, and emotions – can become consumed with your own stuff and forget who God is and what he has done. Have the discipline to remember, and the courage to bring your heart into alignment with His heart. That puts you in a place where you can receive what God gives you as an expression of His character.
“All that is within me” – it’s the ultimate investment.
“His holy name” – it’s the ultimate infusion.
Then you, too, will be saying, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).
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