“to make fresh again; reinvigorate or cheer (a person, the mind, spirits, etc.).”
When I isolate myself or go through trials, I start to feel stagnant and stale.
Like a pond with no movement. I feel icky, lonely, quiet, and just blah.
Here’s a fun fact: the same way that you refresh a real pond is the same method you can use to refresh your soul (Not with actual chemicals… keep reading).
To refresh a pond, you can add minerals and supplements to treat the water. But for major water changes, its recommended that you drain the pond, add back fresh water, and also add supplements and minerals that help keep the gunk away.
Your soul also needs to be refreshed. (Your soul is commonly described as your “mind, will, and emotions”.)
So, here’s a breakdown of how to refresh your soul:
- Drain it
- Fill it up
- Maintain it with the right supplements
- Enjoy the process of keeping your soul refreshed
- Refresh others
1) How to drain your soul:
There are probably many ways to drain your “mind, will, and emotions”. I drain my soul my praying out loud, writing in my journal, and talking to people that I trust about what’s on my heart.
I find that if I keep it all bottled up, it makes me super anxious, and again, like a stagnant pond.
Healing truly comes with processing what’s on your heart with God and others that give you wisdom.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” – James 5:16
Also, stop listening to the lie that says “God doesn’t care” or “that’s too small to bug God with”. If it weighs on your heart, I believe it weighs on His, too.
2) How to fill up your soul with living water:
John chapter 4 in the Bible tells us the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. There, Jesus tells the woman of “living water” that only He can offer (John 4:13).
The Word of God is symbolized by water. Psalm 1:2 says, “..his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water…”
So, fill yourself up with truth from the Word of God. Let God’s truth permeate every part of your being. As a believer of Jesus, the presence of the Holy Spirit also lives in you. Therefore, you are filled with life. Access that spring of life and let it overflow into your day to day life.
3) Maintain your soul with the right supplements:
We have so many options to pour into our souls. Spoiler alert: not all of the options are healthy for us.
There are options that are toxic to the health of our soul. What things do you use in life to fill that void you feel?
Does that satisfaction really last? (No). So, don’t pollute your soul with those things. That will just keep your pond stagnant and unhealthy.
I would recommend that you supplement your soul with an authentic relationship with Jesus, a Jesus following community (church), knowledge and practice of the Word of God, and a lifestyle of worship.
I know this sounds all nice and pretty, but I’m telling you, it will refresh you from the inside out (please feel free to comment with any questions about the depth of this topic).
4) Enjoy the process of keeping your soul refreshed:
Refreshing your soul takes work, but there is such peace that comes with a well maintained soul.
You know for yourself how empty you feel when you don’t fill yourself with the right things.
So, I encourage you to refresh your soul with the only water that satisfies, and maintain it with the right things. You will truly be changed from the inside out.
5) Refresh others:
Proverbs 11:25 says, “…he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
Last week (2/19/2017), pastor Dan Lord from Memphis, TN shared a great word at my church New Life Church in Fayetteville.
He spoke about “Living with an open heart”, and referenced the refreshment for our souls that comes with refreshing others. Here’s the link to the podcast:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/new-life-church-fayetteville/id1065919667?mt=2&i=1000381412769
Praying for your soul to be moved into action,
~Lauren