“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 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.” – Psalm 23.
What do you find most refreshing? A cold drink on a hot day? An afternoon nap? Listening to praise and worship music? No doubt everybody has something in their life that refreshes them. And sometime during the average week, we will need to be refreshed.
When life is piling up and wearing you down, God offers to refresh us and renew us. However, we can’t get that refreshing by focusing on what’s going on in our lives. We get the refreshing from the water of God’s Word. When we put God’s Word into our hearts and minds, then meditate on it, we become refreshed because we start thinking of heavenly things. It gives us a new perspective and allows God to speak into our situation.
The Bible says we can have spiritual refreshing. Acts 3:19 – 20 says, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that he will forgive your sins. If you do, times of spiritual strength (refreshing in AMPC) will come from the Lord” (GNT). Isaiah 44:3 (ESV) says, “ God is the refresher and provides nourishment by pouring out His Spirit on us. The Holy Spirit is able to fill up our hungry and dry hearts. When our souls are refreshed it’s like water is being poured onto a thirsty land.“
Reading scripture can refresh our souls and can touch and change our lives. For example, every time you read King David’s words in Psalm 23, the words seem to become active and alive and refresh the soul. There are lessons in these words of hope and an unmistakable and unyielding truth in this Psalm: He gives me all I need. (v1) He lets me rest. (v2) He leads me. (v2) He renews me. (v3) He guides me. (v3) He keeps me company. (v4) He is close beside me. (v4) He prepares a meal for me. (v5) He honors me. (v5) He pursues me. (v6) He will spend eternity with me. (v6)
It is hard to read those words and not have your soul refreshed. God’s Word has power. Each time we read the words penned many centuries ago they come to life over and over again. His Word is still active and alive.
There is no better way as believers to experience a time of refreshing by quieting our hearts in a devotional time of prayer and Bible reading. When we spend time alone with the Lord, we can experience His peace and joy and feel renewed.
Discussion Questions:
1. Have you experienced a time of refreshment from reading Scripture?
2. What can you do this week to find refreshment in the chaos of life?