Psychology, linguistically speaking, is the study of the soul. Psyche is the Greek word for soul. Logos means “expression” and in today's vernacular it refers to the study of something. This all brings to mind that psychology and theology tend to be concerned with similar things not in every case, but often.My wife thinks in word pictures. Her metaphor describing the way she and I relate in our marriage is overlapping circles in which we each have part of who or what we are outside of what we are between us. In the area that overlaps we share many things a life in partnership, the fact that we each know God and are growing in our knowledge of God, a concern to have genuine relationships with people, relationships that are not characterised by b&*l s**t. In the part outside the overlap she is more interested in what could be called prophetic ministry and I am more interested in the interpretation of scripture. She is more interested in colour and creative ways to decorate the house, and I'm more interested in having a corner in which to stack my books and attend to my writing.In a similar way, there are two circles called theology and psychology, and they overlap one another. It is this part where they overlap that I find fascination. How do spiritual matters affect a person psychologically? How do psychological factors influence one's spiritual life? I know this happens. These two aspects of our lives are not compartmentalised like two separate grain silos standing side by side on the farm. No. They are all one silo with words on one side that say, “theology”, and words on the other side that say “psychology”.For instance, what is the psychological effect of coming to faith in Christ in a super legalistic church where a performance-based system not only tells you that you are going to hell unless you believe certain things and behave in a certain way, but also where the people themselves either smile or frown upon you if you variously conform or step out of line? It makes a person anxious about pleasing God and other people. It makes a person depressed and despairing of ever getting things “right”, because in such a system there is never a “good enough” resting spot. There is no peace, because one knows he or she can always do better. No-one is perfect, but the standard of God is perfection so, how do you succeed with that?You can't. It's impossible, and if it's impossible, how can a person handle that? Like Paul said, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” If the situation is left with just that, then theology and psychology culminate in hopelessness and despair. If that's all there is, then you might as well take Judas's way out.Thankfully, that is not all there is. Paul went on in that letter to the believers in Corinth to say, “… there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”Here, then, is one of those places in the Bible where psychology and theology, or spirituality, come together. Note that it describes people as “setting their minds” on something. When we set our minds on the forgiveness and freedom given to us by the fact that Jesus covered all human failing in His sacrifice once for all (meaning once for all people and all time past, present and future), then we let go of the need to measure up. In fact, to hold onto the need to measure up is the mind set on the flesh. The flesh is concerned with pleasing other people by living up to their expectations, their rules, their values, etc. And the Bible says that a mind set on such things is death; it can only produce the sense of failure, hopelessness, and despair, because one can never be good enough. One can never measure up.This is why I hate legalism dressed up like Christianity. Please spare me the need to point out where other people are sinning not “doing it right”, failing, not living the Christian life, etc. I am not the Holy Spirit. I have enough to do just to attend to my walk, my own keeping step with the Holy Spirit. That is because, even though we no longer live under a legalistic framework and a performance-based system in which our acceptance depends on what we do or say, we still have another basis for living our spiritual lives, and this new way affects our psychological state of mind just as strongly as the old way. That new way is a step-by-step working out of our salvation in relationship to the Holy Spirit.Do you hear God? Are you sensitive to the “voice” of the Spirit? It is something to be cultivated, for it is the basis of peace, satisfaction, fulfillment, and, as CS Lewis put it, “joy”. In this kind of system one can be experiencing the gravest of circumstances but still be at peace in one's soul. That kind of peace is a peace that passes all psychological understanding, but it's a peace that stills the psyche. Having a conversational relationship with God through the Holy Spirit is the basis for psychologically sound soul care. It's good psyche-logos… psychology.