Survival Guide for the Soul

June 25, 2018
In this inspiring book, Shigematsu, senior pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, ruminates on how people of faith can quit endlessly chasing success and be content to rest in God’s love. He begins by admitting he has spent too much time pursuing success himself, pointing to the sense of a “divided self” that he believes many struggle with: the tension between worldly success and spiritual fulfillment. Shigematsu uses Augustine as an example when considering the sides of the self: the fourth- and fifth-century African bishop and theologian pursued a life of the flesh, fathered a child out of wedlock, and vacillated between what he wanted to do and what God wanted him to do. By eventually giving up his worldly desires and goals of becoming a famous rhetorician, Augustine found greater peace. Shigematsu then suggests a number of spiritual practices that can help readers discern what choices will lead to God’s path, including silent meditation, keeping the Sabbath, and being grateful for life’s abundant blessings. “Spiritual exercises,” he writes, “attune us to God’s presence, acting as sticky-note reminders that God is with us all the time.” Shigematsu offers sage advice throughout and posits that following the example of Jesus will let believers redefine what greatness and success really means. Christian readers looking for spiritual rejuvenation will find much in Shigematsu’s persuasive book.