“There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza…” — my sister and I used to sing this ridiculous song over and over as children, giggling with delight as we pictured dear Henry trying to fix his leaky bucket only to come back to the fact that he needs his bucket to fix his bucket! What a profound image the leaky bucket makes of a wounded soul.

While the song is all fun and silliness, the truth is we all possess leaks in us, a result of a wounded soul. And, in a similar fashion to Liza and Henry, we’re desperately trying to stop the leaks, offering each other motivation and encouragement to keep going. Yet, truthfully, it requires more than willpower and motivation. Like a bucket with holes, attempts to pour moments of peace and happiness into a wounded soul leak out before they can be fully absorbed. It takes work—hard work at times—to tend to our soul in order for it to hold and exude joy.

There’s much to learn, particularly from the Word of God, regarding healing our souls. Attempts to heal the soul from sources other than the Truth of God’s Word most likely result in temporary or superficial care, akin to a band-aid; admittedly, there can still be a measure of relief. Yet, I wonder if we do not want a healing that is more satisfying and unshakeable.

A whole soul (or soul joy) encompasses both spiritual and practical aspects that work together for wholeness. Simple habits, such as enjoying the sights and sounds of nature before embarking on a chaotic day, work in tandem with a spiritual understanding of our soul’s condition and how to care for it to bring lasting healing and wholeness; a beautiful marriage of practicality and spirituality that creates strong and pervasive joy flowing out of our being.

As I mentioned earlier, this involves hard work that, at times, we tend to shy away from. The greatest lesson I learned in my own soul healing is that not only is it an ongoing process, but soul joy, which comes from wholeness, is birthed in the darkness. Meaning, it requires time in the presence of God, alone, allowing Him to first expose and correct, then cleanse/clear out the wounds and scars, and finally, to receive His unmatchable healing. At times, this is arduous and painful; even lonely and challenging, as deep healing is often uncomfortable. In reality, there is no easy button to living in wholeness of soul. Our comfort comes knowing that, with Christ, He went through rejection, dark seasons, loneliness, pain, and even death; as a result, He understands our journey. At the same time, we are in the Hands of pure Love—the Father, and there is comfort in knowing that everything He allows us to go through, He will use it for our ultimate benefit (though it rarely feels like it). And, if we allow Him to guide us through the healing journey, it will be far better than we can imagine!

Additionally, the soul requires habits of intentional living and enjoyment of life so as not to wear ourselves out mentally, emotionally, or physically.

Practically speaking, until we are standing in glory with Adonai, we will always have some leaks to tend to within our souls, but scripture is filled with promises that if we ask, He will be with us each step of the way. Below, I’ve added suggestions for healing your soul practically and spiritually. Just as with anything in life, you must have moments of hard work mixed in with moments of rest and play; otherwise, we get off-balance.

I believe that there really isn’t a separation between the “spiritual” life and the practical one. However, for the purposes of this post, by “spiritually”, I refer to the times of study, prayer, and seeking God; the hard work necessary for wholeness.

How To Start Spiritually Healing Your Wounded Soul

Tips For Practically Tending To Your Wounded Soul

The simplicity of life truly has a way of healing the wounded soul; however, I can not overemphasize enough that wholeness of soul only comes through Yahweh, by the power of Christ, as a result of his resurrection. Seek Him above all else. My soul journey really started the day I embraced what Jesus said in the book of Matthew:

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life…But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

MATTHEW 6:25, 33

*The writing of Issue No.11: Soul Joy was highly transformative for me. As a result, I felt impressed to write a Bible Study on the soul. This is a 10-week LOGOS study—a guided study through scripture designed to engage all your senses. It involves active study on your part, with recommended scriptures to read and write, as well as moments of creativity and suggested music to listen to as you work through it. This is unlike any study I’ve ever done before, as I encountered so much joy pouring out of me as the Holy Spirit directed my steps. I have never been this excited about anything because I am confident that it will heal and release joy like a geyser of living water in many people. Click here to be notified as soon as it is ready (end of Sept 2025).