The weaned soul is a soul weaned from the world. It glories only in the cross of Christ and is consequently crucified unto the world and the world unto it (Galatians 6:14). To the weaned soul the things of the world have lost their luster, being no longer lusted after (2 Peter 1:4). There is neither the heart nor the inclination to reach out the hand for any of the trivial and temporal trinkets the world spreads out before it. The weaned soul, unlike other souls, who set their affections on things below or earthly things, sets its affections on things above or heavenly things, as Paul teaches us to do in Colossians 3:1-2, 

The world grows increasingly weary with all who grow increasingly weary with the world. For instance, even new converts soon find themselves unfriended by their former friends, since they no longer have common interests and affections. A reveler in riotous living who turns his back on riotousness in order to pursue righteousness will become inexplicable and insufferable to his former unrighteous cohorts (1 Peter 4:4). How can they walk together any longer now that they disagree on the direction to be taken in their lives (Amos 3:3)?

This scriptural truth exposes a glaring contradiction of Scripture prevalent in the contemporary church; namely, the belief by so many that an otherworldly church can be made conformable to this world. So many modern-day churchmen believe, contrary to the teaching of Scripture, that the key to the church’s success in this world is to make the worldly comfortable within the church. Rather than separating itself from the world and distinguishing itself as Christ’s peculiar people (2 Corinthians 6:17; 1 Peter 2:9), today’s church, in a blatant attempt to make itself indistinguishable from the world, is often found mimicking it.

The contemporary church’s conformity to the world testifies to the scarcity of weaned souls within it. If its pews and pulpits were populated by weaned souls it would be satisfied with the praise of God alone and indifferent to the praise of men. The fact that today’s church is obsessed with this world’s opinion of it, proves that its head is still buried in the bosom of the world and its heart is far from being captivated by Christ.

While it is true that today’s church growth gurus peddle conformity to culture rather than the transformation of culture as essential to the growth of the church, it is equally true that the more the church buys into this philosophy the more ground it loses in this world. Both our influence in the world and our impact upon it are greatly diminished by our conformity to it. Truly, the baby steps being taken toward the fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commission by the contemporary church are explained by its inundation with unweaned spiritual infants, those still whining and crying after the world.

The calm soul is one weaned from the world and ever-growing weary of it.