Being Refreshed

It is easy to bend under a load of concern and the burdens of life which tend to weigh us down.  Whether the weight is physical, mental, or emotional we become exhausted and extremely tired shouldering this concern.  Sometimes we are so tired that we do not even have enough energy to pray.  Of course, God knows all about that inability but He still wants us to come to Him despite our feelings so we can be refreshed.

If we want to do the best job that we can possibly do, we need refreshment – physical, emotional, mental and even spiritual.  To be refreshed means to be energized, restored, rejuvenated, or invigorated.  Often, we experience refreshment when we simply take time to rest our bodies.  Other times refreshment comes to us when we spend time in quiet meditation – reading God’s Word and thinking about what it says.  Periodically we can also be refreshed by people, especially those that excel in expressing positive words and acts of kindness.  Here's what the scripture tells us about being refreshed.

1)      God’s word always refreshes.  “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul” (Psalm 19:7).

2)      Refreshing comes when we turn to God.  “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

3)      Refreshing someone else can bring personal refreshment.  A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).

4)      Friends can supply refreshment.  “May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains” (II Timothy 1:16).

5)      Some refreshment comes from eating.  “Refresh yourself with something to eat” (Judges 19:5).

6)      Other refreshment comes as we rest.  Of God it was said, “On the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” (Exodus 31:17).

We constantly need refreshment, and we need to remember that we can also assist in the refreshment of others.  Why not ask God to help you experience the refreshment you need and make you a good refresher of others through the words that you say, the actions that you take, and the care that you give.

Dog Days

As we enter the month of August with its hot, muggy days you may occasionally hear someone talk about the “dog days of summer.”  These days have nothing to do with dogs, but are usually described as the period between early July and early September when hot, sultry weather occurs in the Northern Hemisphere and the water in lakes and ponds stagnates.

I’m wondering if you have ever experienced spiritual dog days in your life?  These are days when spiritual things seem stagnant in your life and there is little, if any activity for the Lord.  At those times you begin to wonder if God is near or if He is concerned about you.  Maybe you have wandered away from the Lord and allowed your attention to be placed on things or activities rather than on God Himself.  When Dr. Luke wrote the book of Acts he recorded a sermon that was delivered by the Apostle Peter.  In this sermon, Peter suggested that the people to whom he was writing may have been going through spiritual dog days.  He said, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

Maybe you are experiencing a “dry spell” or “dog days” in your spiritual life or have never taken time to ask for God’s forgiveness and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.  Notice that according to this verse: (1) You can be refreshed; (2) The refreshment comes from a divine source—the Lord; and (3) The time of refreshment begins as you repent and turn to God.  Why does refreshment come to an individual when he or she turns to God in simple faith and trust?  The answer is because your sins are forgiven.  When this happens it is possible for you to have a personal, ongoing, intimate relationship with the Lord.  Why not turn to the Lord today and allow your spiritual dog days to be replaced with God’s divine refreshment?