Times of Refreshing

It has been said that a key ingredient to happiness in life is having something meaningful to do. The question of why we are here has puzzled humanity since the beginning of time, and despite Satan’s best efforts to convince us that life is meaningless, within each of our hearts is the yearning to do something important, something lasting, with our lives. For Christians, of course, finding something meaningful to do isn’t all that difficult. Aside from Christ’s Great Commission to go "into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”, God has uniquely equipped each of us with “diversities of gifts” that enable us to “bear much fruit” in our service to Him (Mark 16:15; 1 Cor. 12:4; John 15:8). Running out of things to do is rarely the problem for me; more often than not, it’s simply finding time to “lie down in green pastures” and “refresh my [heart] in the Lord” (Ps. 23:2; Phlm. 1:20).

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, to refresh is “to fill up again.” This was especially necessary for Paul, who spent the vast majority of his time “pouring out” of himself into various ministries. For him, the antidote to becoming “weary in well doing” was not to quit doing good, but taking frequent time to rest in the shade of God’s presence and love along with fellow believers (Gal. 6:9; Rom. 15:32). Revelation 4:11 discretely answers the age-old question of why we are here: for God’s pleasure. And what is God’s pleasure? Again, our answer is found in Scripture:

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:5-6)

Although we are indeed called to do certain things selflessly, we must never forget that being a Christian is about much more than just “doing.” God’s good pleasure is to call us His sons and daughters, to make us “accepted in the beloved” through His amazing grace. Nothing is more uplifting than taking time to “look unto. . . the hole of the pit whence ye are digged”, and to consider the vast and immeasurable “love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Isa. 51:1; Eph. 3:19). Oftentimes this is all it takes to be refreshed and “strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16).