Sanford's Hole in the Soul

Gov. Mark Sanford said Tuesday that he "crossed lines" with a handful of women other than his mistress--but never had sex with them. The governor said he "never crossed the ultimate line" with anyone but Maria Belen Chapur, the Argentine at the center of a scandal that has derailed his once-promising political career.

"This was a whole lot more than a simple affair, this was a love story," Sanford said. "A forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day."

During an emotional interview at his Statehouse office with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Sanford said Chapur is his soul mate but he's trying to fall back in love with his wife.

No one in his right mind would say these things. How can his "spiritual adviser" allow him to further ruin his already tragic life? Counselors, Pastors and Coaches take note: When our client has lost his way we must step in and make sure he is protected from himself.

Any grown man who so loses himself to another woman has proven that he is living on the surface of things. He is out of touch with his soul and that leads to a loss of conscious choice about reality.

Mr. Sanford was under the care of a "spiritual adviser' who, by overemphasizing consciousness failed to help him plumb the depths of despair and pain in his soul that only God can heal. James Chapter 1 says

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to

The term here, evil desire, can be translated, "Hole in the soul" and that is exactly what men in midlife must allow God's Spirit to heal if they are to escape the trial and temptations of a "soul mate".

Obedience and strengthening the will are useless unless we allow God's Spirit to bring up all the old pain and hurts and heal them. Face your pain; face your guilt; face your weaknesses and allow God to heal that hole in the soul.

God is our soul mate. Only God can fill that heart shaped vacuum in the soul. To think a woman can fill my soul is raw idolatry.