"War Against the Soul" focuses on Paul Cheney, a young and successful businessman who has put his work before all else in his life, including his wife and child. Although his wife protests he continues to believe that his motives are pure and that he is doing it for all the right reasons. That it might be for the benefit of his own pride and self-worth does not occur to him, at least until he's fallen into the grip of temptation and is unfaithful to his wife.
Paul is not typically a man of poor character choices and he's unfamiliar with the guilt and anxiety that begin to infiltrate his emotions and cloud his thinking. Soon it becomes clear that he must now also begin the disagreeable work of attempting to hide his transgression.
He encounters Pete, an old friend who has become a Christian, and seeks his advice. But once given, Paul feels that calling upon God is not the answer for him. There must be a way he can fix things himself.
But the evidence of his infidelity eventually overtakes him, spanning even into his work arena, and slowly the world he has built for himself begins to crumble around him.
Still he cannot give up. Although Pete assures him that God's love and grace are there for anyone in their worst moments, Paul cannot grasp the concept, nor can he cede control of his life. He continues his struggle to salvage what he's lost but only drifts further from his objectives.
With the loss of everything he'd put his trust and confidence in, as well as the things that he'd valued most, he finally begins to realize what was far more important all along. Still he feels that he and he alone must find a way to repair the damage done.
When it looks as though all is forever lost, he finally turns to God broken, humbled and in despair.
God moves subtlety but distinctly when Paul calls to Him, even though he only partially believes that God will actually forgive him, let alone help him through his darkest hour. It's still a difficult road ahead of him as he faces his own powerlessness and weakness and realizes his need for a God who is stronger and wiser than himself. But step by step, Paul begins the journey to healing, and even though not every wrong can be righted, God proves that He can take a repentant heart and bring much good out of even the worst situation.
