Written by John Celeste

Tax time is fast approaching. It’s time to get those documents together. Income tax is to be
completed and filed to the federal government by April 30th. Many businesses run a ‘profit and loss statement’ quarterly to keep an eye on the financial viability of their business. It’s considered to be a ‘health check’ – are we losing money or making money.

What is a ‘profit and loss statement’? It’s a two-column chart where all profits (revenue earned)
are listed on one side and all losses (expenditures) are listed on the other side. You subtract total
expenses from total revenue to know the difference. If the result is negative; you have a loss. If
the result is positive, you have a profit. Once you determine the outcome, you go over the
statement to improve the overall efficiency (whether a loss or profit) of the company. Some of
the key insights to look for are where are the profits coming from and are costs being managed
efficiently and effectively.

We can look at our lives and do a health check. We see our doctor on a regular basis to see how
we are doing physically (blood work, blood pressure, x-rays, etc.). But do we do an emotional
health check? Who do we see for our emotional health? Not many of us check in on our
emotional health. Someone may say something about us ‘acting’ in a different way. We respond
with, ‘oh, it’s nothing’ or many other excuses.

We should set up a profit and loss statement for our well-being – our soul. [Mat 16:26 NLT] And
what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more
than your soul?

The following scripture can help identify some profit and loss items of our soul.
[Pro 6:16-23 NLT] 16 There are six things the LORD hates–no, seven things he detests: 17
haughty eyes {humility}, a lying tongue {truth}, hands that kill the innocent {life}, 18 a heart
that plots evil {good}, feet that race to do wrong {righteousness}, 19 a false witness who pours
out lies {upright}, a person who sows discord in a family {peace}.

The items in parenthesis can be considered profit, the others are loss. Other losses are found in
Eph 4:31; Col 3:8. More profits can be found in Gal 5:22-23.
Let us examine ourselves truthfully with the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures as our doctor. What
do we possess more of? Are we running a loss or a profit? Here is encouragement to increase
the profitability of our soul.

[Pro 15:13, 15 NIV] 13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.
… 15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.
[Pro 17:22 NIV] A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
[Num 6:24-26 NIV] “The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine on
you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
[Psa 23:1-6 NIV] 1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green
pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right
paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for
you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in
the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your
goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD forever.

David ‘works’ for a great ‘company’. The ‘employee program’ boasts of numerous health
benefits. His testimony speaks of a great and profitable ‘President, CEO and company’!