Soul Care by Rob Reimer
Tired Moms Book Rating: 5 pager
This book is a life changer. It is a must read for every Christian. I will definitely read this book more than once.
That is probably short enough and to the point, but…
here is some more explanation.
Lately I’ve read many books on Christian living, spiritual growth, and healing traumas. Many of them have been very helpful. In future posts I’ll share some of them. But this book is the one that gives a complete vision for how to grow and mature past the glass ceiling.
This book is foundational. It is a good starting point for anyone going through trials and hardships- especially relational hardships or hardships where you are finding yourself stuck in a holding pattern. If you are in the shell shock of a trauma it might not be what you need. But if you are over the initial gush, and find yourself stuck, stifled, lacking healing, or not maturing as you think you should be- then this is for you.
Many of the things in Soul Care, personally I’ve worked through or was discovering but hadn’t put words to the hurdles or process of healing. But my method in the past and more recently, was by trail and error. I was piecing things together from various sources- other authors, Scripture, pastors, counsellors, Christians, friends, family – it was a haphazard approach. Soul Care for me wrapped up all the loose bits of truth for healing and growth into one nice package.
Soul Care zeroes in on the big issues- the big ones that everyone struggles with. It does not stab at surface things, but pierces right down to the heart. And the heart is where it all hinges. I say heart—the author uses Soul…. Soul care= taking care of your soul. Often we neglect this core and it affects our entire system- our physical body, mental processes, our spiritual maturity, our habits – our lives.
The author of Soul Care states at various places throughout his book that self knowledge and self-awareness is key to understanding faulty sin patterns and life growth.
“You must begin by admitting it. You have to be ruthlessly honest with yourself in order to find freedom.” -Soul Care p.106-7
“Self –awareness is a gateway to life change; it doesn’t guarantee it, but you can’t get there without it.” – Soul Care p.29
For someone who studies Charlotte Mason… where have you heard this before?
For starters, Charlotte devotes a section to self awareness in Volume 2:
“Children should be taught Self-knowledge. All this may be of importance to philosophers; but what has it to do with the bringing-up of children?
A Child should know what he is as a Human Being.—It is time we reverted to the teaching of Socrates. ‘Know thyself,’ exhorted the wise man, in season and out of season; and it will be well with us when we understand that to acquaint a child with himself—what he is as a human being—is a great part of education. It is difficult to see why; surely much harm comes of morbid introspection?
Introspection is morbid or diseased when the person imagines that all which he finds within him is peculiar to him as an individual. To know what is common to all men is a sound cure for unhealthy self-contemplation.
How does it work?
This Knowledge a Safeguard.—To recognise the limitations of the reason is a safeguard in all the duties and relations of life. The man who knows that loyalty is his first duty in every relation, and that if he admit doubting, grudging, unlovely thoughts, he cannot possibly be loyal, because such thoughts once admitted will prove themselves to be right and fill the whole field of thought, why, he is on his guard and writes up ‘no admittance’ to every manner of mistrustful fancy.
That rule of life should affect the Supreme relationship?
Truly, yes; if a man will admit no beginning of mistrustful surmise concerning his father and mother, his child and his wife, shall he do so of Him who is more than they, and more than all, the ‘Lord of his heart’? ‘Loyalty forbids’ is the answer to every questioning of His truth that would intrude.
Against ‘Honest Doubt.’—But when others whom you must needs revere, question and tell you of their ‘honest doubt’?
You know the history of their doubt, and can take it for what it is worth—its origin in the suggestion, which, once admitted, must needs reach a logical conclusion even to the bitter end. ‘Take heed that you enter not into temptation,’ He said, who needed not that any should tell Him, for He knew what was in men.” –Charlotte Mason Volume 2 p.242-244
The concept of self knowledge was so important to Charlotte and her philosophy of education she wrote an entire book about it. It’s title is Ourselves. The entire Volume is dedicated to bring knowledge of self to students. Of Volume 4 she says,
“There are so many interesting things in the world to discuss that it is a waste of time to talk about ourselves. All the same, it is well to be up to the ways of those tiresome selves, and that is why you are invited to read these chapters.” –Charlotte Mason Volume 4 p.129-130
“Self-control, Self-knowledge, Self-reverence.—It would even seem as if we had two inside selves, one which wishes to do a wrong or unwise thing, and another which says, ‘You must not.’ And one of the great things we have to learn in life is how, where, and when to use this power, which we call Self- control. Before we can have true Self-control we must know a good deal about ourselves, that is, we must get Self-knowledge. Many persons think themselves quite different from everybody else, which is a mistake. Self- knowledge teaches that what is true of everybody else is true of us also; and when we come to know how wonderful are the powers and how immense are the possibilities of Mansoul, we are filled, not with pride, but with Self- reverence, which includes reverence and pity for the meanest and most debased, because each of these is also a great Mansoul, though it may be a Mansoul neglected, ruined, or decayed. The government of Mansoul is, as we know, the chief business of man; and we will go on to consider the Members of the Government.” –Charlotte Mason Volume 4 p.34
In volume 5 she again states knowledge of self as a prime importance to children.
“…and of all the knowledge which a child should get, the knowledge of God is first in importance, and the knowledge of himself, next.” – Charlotte Mason Volume 5 p.363
“Children should learn some Laws of Thought––In another way we may endeavour to secure for the children that stability of mind which comes of self-knowledge. It is well that they should know, so early that they will seem to themselves always to have known, some of the laws of thought which govern their own minds.” –Charlotte Mason Volume 2 p.46
This book is a practical, helpful, meat-filled read, yet gentle, suggestive, comforting, and compassionate. In my experience, often Christian growth books leave me feeling a little bit lost with the question- but HOW do I DO this? Soul Care gives explanations on why our growth might be stifled as well as suggestive thoughts on what to do and practice in our lives to overcome the stuck-rut. At the same time, you don’t come away with guilt and burdens to ‘do more’. You can see the way forward. That introspection of self knowledge is not necessarily easy…our growth can be blocked by our past wounds and continued avoidance.
The topics in Soul Care include understanding who we are, repenting, forgiving, wounds and the lies we believe with them, family sin struggles, shame, humility, confession to each other, and demonic deliverance. At then end of each chapter are some questions and some reflective exercises. Now and then Dr Reimer addresses church leaders, but this book is not just for leaders, it is for all of us.
Personally, in my own journey, I’m not very familiar with the influence from the ‘dark side’. Dr. Reimer makes a very good case for knowing and learning more. From his own stories in the book, one can’t deny that there is indeed a world other than ‘flesh and blood’ that we wrestle against. This has inspired me to learn more. I’m not sure where or how… but eventually as God brings things across my path, I’ll be more ready to hear and apply. If demonic influence is too much for you… the other ninety percent of the book applies to any Christian just where they are right now.
Would this book be for a non Christian? I’m not sure. God can use anything. The identity portions might not exactly resonate. There is truth taken from Scripture oozing from the book. But those passages might be just the thing that God uses to open their eyes to what Christianity IS, and how God is calling their own name to be His. So if someone – anyone, is willing to read this- then go for it. We are all wounded, we are all in need of healing, we all need to be made aware of ourselves and the parts of us that need to be altered or tended to.
PS I’m not affiliated with Dr Reimer – I just LOVE this book!