The Algorithm of the Soul

 The Algorithm of the Soul

Recently, I sat across the kitchen table from my adult daughter. Same eyes as mine, different view of the world. Same blood, different feeds. We were talking—really talking—about the recent federal leaders’ debate. You know the kind… the kind that gets posted and shared and clipped into reels that bounce around the internet like spiritual dodgeballs. People ducking, diving, defending their truth.

The country we live in is in an election race—another four years up for grabs. The promises, the performances, the carefully orchestrated moments of outrage and applause. It’s all so familiar. And yet, here we were, two people with the same last name and completely different stories playing out on our phones.

She held up her screen. “Dad, look at this—this guy nailed it. He said everything I’m thinking.”

I nodded. Because she’s smart. She’s thoughtful. And her feed was full of what she calls “truth.”

Then I opened mine. I showed her my highlights, my posts, the data that poured through the filter of my life experience, my age, my convictions.

She paused. “But… that’s not true. That’s literally the opposite of what I’m seeing.”

I looked at her. Really looked. And asked quietly, “So… who’s right?”

Her silence said it all.

And that’s when it hit me. We aren’t being shaped by truth—we’re being shaped by our algorithm.

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Two Realities, One World

How is that even possible?

How can two people watch the same debate, hear the same words, and walk away with opposite interpretations, both absolutely convinced that theirs is right?

It’s not just perception. It’s programming.

There’s an invisible formula behind every swipe and scroll. An algorithm tailored to feed us what we already believe. To reinforce, to validate, to reward us for staying in our digital lane. And as a father, this both fascinates and terrifies me.

Because here’s the deeper question:

If our political algorithms can shape our reality, what about our spiritual ones?

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The Truth According to Scripture

Jesus didn’t mince words when it came to truth.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32

Not a truth. Not your truth. The truth. The one that’s not manipulated by engagement metrics. The one not subject to trending hashtags or cultural bias.

The truth that cuts through all the noise and tells you who you are, where you came from, and where you’re going.

Later in the same chapter, Jesus says to the Pharisees:

“Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires… When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” – John 8:43-44

Let that sink in.

There’s an algorithm of heaven—and an algorithm of hell.

One leads to truth. One leads to deception.

Both can feel right. Both can sound convincing. Both can be reinforced by our circle of influence, our preferences, and our pride.

But only one is of God.

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When the Results Are In

After that conversation with my daughter, I went to bed thinking about how easy it is to mistake confirmation for truth.

The Pharisees did it. The crowds did it. Even some of Jesus’ own disciples were confused about who He really was.

And in the end… it didn’t matter what their algorithm told them.

Because when your life is over, the results are in. The scroll is finished. The final tally counted. No more swipes, no more edits, no more curated narratives.

Truth will stand.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” – 2 Corinthians 5:10

Not based on how many shares we got. Or likes. Or what our followers believed.

But what God says is true.

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Vetting Your Spiritual Algorithm

So what now? How do you vet your spiritual algorithm? How do you ensure that what’s forming your soul is actually pointing you toward heaven—and not some cleverly disguised distortion of it?

Here are three ways you can check the source code of your soul:

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1. Examine the Fruit, Not Just the Feed

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16:

“By their fruit you will recognize them.”

You can have the best podcast, the most viral content, the most impressive church growth strategy—but if the fruit is pride, division, or fear, it’s not from God.

Look at what’s growing in your heart.

• Are you more loving than you were last year?
• Are you more patient with those who disagree?
• Do you seek to understand, or just to be right?

If your spiritual algorithm is feeding your ego more than your empathy, it’s time to log out and reconnect with the Spirit.

Ask yourself: Is this producing the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?

That’s the biblical test. Not views or volume.

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2. Compare Everything to Scripture, Not Culture

Culture shifts. Quickly. What’s moral today will be mocked tomorrow. What’s celebrated now will be cancelled in a year. That’s the way of the world.

But God’s Word is unchanging.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” – Isaiah 40:8

Your spiritual algorithm must be built on that foundation.

When you hear a teaching, a clip, a post that resonates, don’t stop there. Test it.

Ask:

• Is this consistent with God’s character?
• Does this line up with what Jesus modeled?
• Can I find this principle in Scripture, or is it just echoing the world?

Don’t outsource your theology to influencers. Dig into the Word yourself.

Let the Bible be your fact-checker.

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3. Follow the Voice of the Shepherd, Not the Herd

Jesus warned us:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27

But you’ll notice He didn’t say they follow the crowd.

There’s a difference.

The crowd followed Jesus on Palm Sunday shouting “Hosanna!” but days later screamed “Crucify Him!”

The herd is fickle. The Shepherd is not.

If the voices you’re following make you feel powerful, but not humble—be careful.

If the opinions you gravitate toward make you more cynical, more sarcastic, or more suspicious of others, stop and ask: “Is this really the voice of Christ?”

His voice brings peace. Conviction, yes—but with hope. Challenge, yes—but with grace.

You were designed to follow the voice of the Shepherd. His voice cuts through the algorithms. Every time.

What Are You Being Fed?

One of the most sobering moments I’ve had recently came in the form of a whisper from the Holy Spirit: “You are what you consume.”

Not just physically. Spiritually. Emotionally. Mentally.

You may have the best intentions in the world, but if you’re feeding your soul with biased media, comparison-driven apps, and politically charged content all day, every day—it shapes you. Even if you don't realize it. It slowly tweaks your lens, adjusts your tone, and trains your affections.

And the scary part? You won’t even notice until you’ve walked pretty far from the Shepherd.

That’s what algorithms do—they bend reality until you’re convinced it was your idea in the first place.

The devil isn’t interested in turning you into a monster overnight. That’s not how deception works. He’s patient. He will drip small doses of confusion, justification, distraction, and division into your feed until you’ve built a theology around your own reflection.

But when you’re following the Spirit? When you're truly abiding in Christ?

The feed changes. Your heart changes. Your filter for truth sharpens.

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The Mirror of the Word

James wrote something powerful about this process:

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” – James 1:22-24

God’s Word is our mirror. Our compass. Our algorithm reset.

It doesn’t pander. It doesn’t shift based on trends. It shows us the truth—even when it’s uncomfortable.

But if we only glance at it, if we only read a verse here and there, we will walk away unchanged. We’ll get swept right back into the narrative of the world, thinking we’re wise when we’ve simply been well-fed by the wrong source.

We need more than casual exposure to God’s truth. We need saturation. Meditation. Submission.

Because the enemy doesn’t care how often you read Scripture… he cares whether it changes you.

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One Feed Ends, One Book Remains

One day, our scrolls will stop.

Not metaphorically. Literally.

The feed of this life—our timeline, our stories, our posts—it will come to an end. And on that day, only one book will matter.

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” – Revelation 20:12

Think about that.

There is a record that outlasts all platforms. A feed that can’t be deleted. A final algorithm—perfect, just, true.

And in that moment, all the debates, all the tribalism, all the pride—it won’t mean a thing.

What will matter is this: Did you know Jesus? Did you walk with Him? Did your life reflect Him?

The rest is noise.

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The Deconstruction Trap

There’s a trendy word floating around Christian circles lately: deconstruction.

For some, it’s a sincere process of unlearning traditions that are not rooted in Christ. A journey back to what’s true. And when led by the Spirit, that kind of refinement can be beautiful and freeing.

But for others, it’s become a subtle departure from truth altogether.

A slow detachment from the authority of Scripture.

A carefully justified journey away from accountability.

A new algorithm of spiritual independence that looks a lot like “my truth” rather than “God’s truth.”

Let me be clear: God can handle your questions. He invites them. He’s not insecure. But He’s also not passive about your allegiance.

At some point, we have to choose: Will I let God deconstruct me… or will I deconstruct Him?

One leads to transformation. The other leads to self-deification.

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Holy Alignment > Political Alignment

Here’s the thing—your political party won’t be standing with you on judgment day.

Your favorite pundit won’t speak on your behalf.

Your social media followers won’t be in the courtroom.

Only Christ will.

And He’s not asking, “Did you vote red or blue?”

He’s asking, “Did you feed the hungry? Did you love your neighbor? Did you stand for righteousness? Did you know Me?”

The algorithm of the soul is not just about what we believe. It’s about who we serve.

And sometimes we’re serving a system while thinking we’re serving the Savior.

But Jesus never asked us to pick a side in a debate. He asked us to die to ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him—daily.

That’s not a one-click decision. It’s a surrendered life.

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Acting on What’s Closer to God

So what do we do when we realize our algorithm might be off?

What do we do when we see that the voices forming us aren’t the ones God sent?

We act. Not with panic. But with purpose.

Here are three ways to act on what is closer to God:

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1. Repent and Reset

This is not about guilt. It’s about grace.

If you find your soul has been shaped more by culture than Christ—own it.

Repent. Ask the Lord to cleanse your filter. To reset your appetite. To rewire your inputs.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10

The reset begins with confession. A humble acknowledgment that you’ve let your feed dictate your faith.

God doesn’t shame you for that. He welcomes your return.

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2. Curate Your Inputs Intentionally

You wouldn’t let your kids eat poison if it was wrapped in a chocolate bar, would you?

Then why do we consume toxic content wrapped in clever words?

It’s time to curate your feed like your soul depends on it—because it does.

• Unfollow voices that make you cynical.
• Limit exposure to outrage culture.
• Replace morning scrolling with morning Scripture.

Create a rhythm of input that builds your spirit rather than burdens it.

Jesus often withdrew from the crowd to be with the Father. That wasn’t just for rest. It was for clarity.

You can’t live in truth if you never leave the noise.

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3. Engage in Spirit-Led Community

God didn’t design us to walk this alone. But He also didn’t call us to walk with just anyone.

You need people who speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Not just love without truth. Not just truth without love. Both.

A Spirit-led community will challenge you without shaming you. They’ll call you higher without pulling you apart.

Find that circle. Build that circle. And be that circle for someone else.

When you're in the right community, your algorithm starts to sync with heaven.

Because iron sharpens iron. Truth multiplies in truth. And love leads us home.

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Final Thoughts: Choose Your Algorithm Wisely

My daughter and I never really settled our political disagreement that day. We probably never will. And that’s okay.

Because that’s not the point.

The point is—we both realized that two truths can’t exist in opposition forever. One will stand. One will fall. And time will tell.

Same goes for your soul.

There is one truth. One Shepherd. One way. One eternal outcome.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” – John 14:6

No matter what your algorithm says. No matter what your feed confirms.

Jesus is either who He said He is, or He’s not.

But if He is… then He deserves more than a casual follow. He deserves your life.

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A Prayer to Close

Lord, search my heart.

Show me the places where I’ve been shaped by something other than Your Spirit.

Help me to see clearly—to test the voices I follow, to examine the fruit I bear, and to align my heart to Yours.

Reset my algorithm, Father. Rewrite my code. And draw me back to the truth.

Because when my life is over and the results are in, I want to know that I followed You, not a filtered version of You.

In Jesus’ name, amen.