For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Philemon 1:7 In this parched world, it's vital that we live out this verse. Being refreshed is like drinking cold water on a hot day. Refreshing is something God wants us to give and receive. Proverbs talks about the sowing and reaping principle in terms of refreshment: "The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered" (11:25). Another translation says it like this: "Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed" (NLT).

You can't bless others without first making sure you are encouraged in the Lord. I'm not advocating selfishness, but you have to learn how to strengthen your own spirit. King David caught hold of this concept. He learned in the midst of difficulty to turn to God and receive refreshing. In the book of 1 Samuel, the people were talking of stoning David because their city had been burned and their families stolen. Even David's family was taken captive. But before he took any action, David first "strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1 Samuel 30:6b). Then he went out to recover what was lost. The result was victory! "So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives" (1 Samuel 30:18).

Strengthen yourself in the Lord by first acknowledging "every good thing which is in you" (Philemon 1:6). Then look for others to encourage and rejuvenate. If you're in a depressing situation or going through a hard time, learn to lift up your eyes to God and let Him use you to encourage someone else.

We've got a job to do in this generation: to learn how to strengthen ourselves in the Lord, and then refresh others. If David can strengthen himself in the Lord, so can you. Do whatever it takes, through the Word, encouraging music, and good fellowship to keep your tank filled for the occasions when God wants you to step up and refresh others.

God Bless You!
Pastor Jeff

For this reason we have been comforted and besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 2 Corinthians 7:13


© 2008 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.