Soul Keeping by John Ortberg
Week 4: Chapter 3 — The Struggles of the Soul
Read Chapter 3 of Soul Keeping by John Ortberg. Key passage: Psalm 42:1–11.
Previewing Week 4 of Soul Keeping
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
Every soul faces seasons of drought, darkness, and confusion — and acknowledging that honestly is the beginning of healing. Read this chapter with your guard down.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Ortberg describes the soul as something that can be lost, damaged, shrunk, or starved — not destroyed, but diminished. What images in this chapter most clearly captured for you what a struggling soul looks like?
2.Ortberg references Psalm 42's famous cry — 'As the deer pants for water, so my soul pants for you, O God' — as one of Scripture's most honest expressions of a soul in distress. Have you ever felt that kind of spiritual thirst? What was going on in your life during that season?
3.Ortberg identifies several common ways the soul gets damaged: through sin, through suffering, through neglect, and through false substitutes for God. Which of these do you think is most underestimated in Christian circles? Why?