My Troubled Soul

Robert Critchley

My Troubled Soul was written shortly after 9/11. I was scheduled to fly into Glasgow Scotland from Canada the day after the terrorist attacks in NY. My flight was delayed because of the international air ban. The airline offered free rescheduling to all delayed flights. My re-scheduled flight was set for the day the air-ban lifted. To be honest I was not keen on flying at all but Pastor Kevin Peat in Glasgow was persistent in his encouragement for me to come as planned. The slogan in the news at the time was, “If we stop living, the terrorists have won”.

I boarded the plane to Scotland with some fear and trepidation. My soul was indeed, deeply troubled and insecure and yet I knew the truth that God was with me and surrounding me with His love. I remembered how the psalmist David spoke to himself in Psalm 43:5

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

In the same manner I spoke to my soul and called my emotions to a place of faith and peace in the presence of God. I penned the lyrics on the plane as a testimony of this simple process of strengthening myself in the Lord ( as David did even in the midst of battle-1Sam30:6 ).

I had a great flight and a fruitful time of ministry in Scotland. The key song of that visit was “My Troubled Soul” and it became a standard warm up song in my worship sets during that very challenging time of world crisis.

We are body, soul and spirit. I have come to learn that I have lived much of my life with my soul in the lead. The soul tends to assess our circumstances through emotions, yet our feelings are not always in line with the Truth of God’s Word and His promises. I have come to learn that although my emotions are important, it is my spirit that makes the better leader. My spirit gravitates to truth without having to sort out how it ‘feels’ about the things that I am experiencing or challenges that are ahead of me. I also believe that my spirit has the greatest capacity to live in constant communion and acknowledgement of the presence of God in my life. It is from my spirit, strengthened by the Word of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit, that I can effectively consol my emotions. In the end, my whole being is strengthened, including my body.