REFRESH

May 29, 2026

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

Being refreshed is like drinking cold water on a hot day. Refreshing is something God has called us to give and receive. Proverbs talks about the sowing and reaping principle in terms of refreshment: “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (11:25 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. 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 (1 Samuel 30:18).

We’ve got a job to do in this generation: to learn how to strengthen ourselves in the Lord and then refresh others.

Strengthen yourself in the Lord by first acknowledging “every good thing which is in you” (Philemon 1:6). Do whatever it takes, through the Word, encouraging music, and good fellowship to keep your tank filled for the occasions when God has you step up and refresh others.

DEFINITION:re·fresh, verb
To restore strength and animation to: revive.

PRAY THIS OUT LOUD:
Heavenly Father, please show me how to strengthen myself so You can use me to refresh those around me, in Jesus’ Name, amen.

^{Copyright © 2026 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, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. “Refresh, V.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, 2025,
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refresh.}