My husband asked a question today that you might also be interested in. He asked me what is the spirit or soul and how come it doesn’t die with the body. That is a very good question and, like everything else I explain to him or you, I can only say what I believe the answer to be as nothing about all of this can be proved – regardless of how other people say it can be.
In this post, I shall try to explain about the soul – as I see it. In part two, I shall talk about the spirit and in part three, what happens to both when we die. The soul and spirit are two different things to me even though I believe the two blend together to make the whole being that is us. The spirit is the energy of a person and what gives them their personality, whereas the soul is not the personality that we show to people on the outside, but what we are truly like inside the depth of our beings. The ‘real us’, the side we hide from others.
It might seem I’m saying we all have something to hide and are all living a lie to everyone around us, but it isn’t as it sounds. Even though we all do it to varying levels and for different reasons, it isn’t always bad. What is does mean is, we are all hiding something at some time, some of us far more than others and for different reasons good and bad. I shall give some examples to help explain.
We have the people who are utterly miserable and depressed about horrendous things happening in their lives, yet they show the world a smile and act as though nothing is wrong, instead helping others and cheering them – all the while hiding their hurt and pain. This can sometimes be to shield another to save hurting them if they too might otherwise be affected by what is happening. Or it can just be they don’t want to inflict their pain and sadness on others thereby ruining their day.
Some do good deeds quietly and with no one knowing and without taking anything in return, whilst others only do it if they can be seen to be doing so and then they always expect something in return at a later date. Those who say they work for a charity, but only if they can be president, chairman or something else that makes them important. Never for them the lowly worker who does it all behind the scenes and then becomes chairman or president.
No, they have to go straight in as that and then leave the charity immediately their stint is over at the top table where they are seen to be important. Remember, “He who exalts himself shall be humbled” and He who humbles himself shall be exalted.” Luke 14:11.
We may not see this happen on earth as we live this life, but be rest assured we cannot escape it when we enter the world of spirit.
The best way to understand the soul is to remember the eight Beatitudes as found in the Bible; Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10 and the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
THE EIGHT BEATITUDES
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The Corporal Works of Mercy
1 Feed the Hungry
2 Give drink to the thirsty
3 Clothe the naked
4 Shelter the homeless
5 Comfort the imprisoned
6 Visit the sick
7 Bury the dead
The Spiritual Works of Mercy
1 Admonish sinners
2 Instruct the uninformed
3 Counsel the doubtful
4 Comfort the sorrowful
5 Be patient with those in error
6 Forgive offences
7 Pray for the living and the dead
Even if anyone doesn’t believe in God, Jesus, the Bible or any other religion, the things said above can only be for the good of the soul and for those around us. These are what we should be striving to do and how we should be as best we can. To be pure of heart and to be as these things is to have a pure soul. Most of us can manage this some of the time, but to continually strive to be as much like it as possible each day is the important thing.
That is enough for this part as there is no need to say more. It helped to explain about the soul and next time I shall talk about the spirit. In part three, I shall explain what I believe happens at our death and thereafter to both.
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