Many of us want to take care of our bodies. We try to eat a healthy diet, engage in regular exercise, and get a sufficient amount of sleep. These things are good for our bodies — and (in a very real sense) for our souls as well. Indeed, given the intimate connection between soul and body, we might even say that such things qualify as “elements of effective soul care.” But as Christians, we must approach the issue of “soul care” from an explicitly Christian worldview and focus on those elements most important for living an abundant Christian life.
As human beings, our highest good is personally to know, love and walk humbly with our God (John 17:3, Mark 12:28-30, Micah 6:8). If we care about our souls, we must make time for God. God is the ultimate lover of our souls (Matthew 11:28-30, John 3:16, 1 Peter 2:24-25). He created us in his image and created us for relationship with himself (Genesis 1-2).
So how might we come to know and love God more deeply and walk with him more humbly and faithfully? In the history of the church, several time-tested means have been offered for helping us toward this goal. Scripture, prayer, fellowship, worship and service (although not an exhaustive list) are often mentioned among the elements of effective soul care. Here I can only say a bit about the first three. I would encourage you, however, to explore other elements for yourself.