Maneuvers - No. 77
Let Me
Refresh You
Faithful one, what wears you out? What things tend to throw you off course or upend your peace throughout the day?
Most of us could probably list a dozen things without having to think too hard. This world with all its pressures and concerns can easily leave us feeling burned out and confused.
Jesus knows this, too. Could that be why he invites us to rest with him? He tells us:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV).
We love how Eugene Peterson paraphrases this passage in the Message version:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Can we receive these words as a personal invitation today?
But first, let’s take a moment to throw off those burdens that have been weighing on us this week. Breathe in slowly… and out slowly… As we breathe, we can imagine those burdens, those pressures and concerns, falling off our shoulders—one by one.
And now, let’s listen:
01.
The Message
“Let me refresh you. Let me take you deeper into the still place, the place within you that knows you are the beloved. Quiet down now. Discerning my words to you—in letters and sound—are less important than the listening you do and the understanding of me that comes from your heart. For you are known by me. And that knowing helps make me known to you.
“Slow down now. What are your cares, your worries, your concerns? Be at peace. I am gentle with you. You can be calm and filled with wisdom. You are equipped to make choices that bring you deep confidence within yourself, knowing that each decision comes from knowing me. I teach you how to know yourself.
“I teach you to know your capacity. I teach you to know your rhythms as you move throughout the day. I teach you to know the pace of work and rest, action and contemplation. You can be still in your spirit, confident and sure in what actions you need to take as challenges come before you. You can begin to anticipate the journey ahead—not that you need to know the details of the future—but you know you have, deep within you, what is required no matter what unknowns you will face.
“You know I’ve got you. You know I instruct you in the ways you should go. You know you are safe. You know you can do all things with me. You know the life you have before you is rich in promise, full of goodness and reward. You know your obstacles are surmountable. You know doing hard things, as I prompt you to do them, shows you who I am and increases your faith in me. You are hungry to love me and know me more.
“Leave the shallow places now. Go deeper with me, deeper in your heart, to the place where I reside. You can recognize my presence within you. I am here now. So in love. So excited and content to be where you are.”
02.
Listen
Ponder these words again: “You can recognize my presence within you. I am here now. So in love. So excited and content to be where you are.”
What do you feel as you think about those words? How do they affect your perspective of today? Let’s take a minute to write out a prayer in response to the Lord.
03.
Think
“What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings” (Psalm 84:5-6, NLT).
1. What’s wearing you out, confusing you, or overwhelming you? Where do you need God to refresh you?
2. In what ways do you want your relationship with Jesus to be deeper? What do you think might be keeping you in the shallow places?
3. More than anything, what do you want to hear God say to you? And what is he saying to you now?
04.
Trust
Have you ever been driving and forgot to stop for gas—only to suddenly realize you’re already on E? Maybe you were able to reach the nearest gas station before breaking down. But you knew you were running on fumes.
As God’s children, we weren’t made to run on fumes. We were made to operate from a place of fullness. Not a fullness that comes from ourselves, but one that comes from the unending abundance Jesus has to offer.
When we try to run on the fumes of self-effort, we’ll eventually burn out. But what would happen if we allowed God to continually refresh us? Could we find a new strength we didn’t know was possible? Could we face each day with a peace this world doesn’t understand?
Let’s consider the word “refresh.”
In the New Testament, the word for “refreshing” is anapsuxis, which literally means “a recovery of breath, a refreshing.” And the word for “to be refreshed” is sunanapauomai, which means “to lie down to rest with, to be refreshed in spirit with.”
Let’s take a moment to ponder those meanings. Our heavenly Father wants to help us recover our breath. He wants to lead our spirits to lie down to rest.
Now, let’s consider the antonyms of the word “refresh”: depress, destroy, discourage, break, dissuade, dull.
Do any of these words describe how we feel at times? In what areas of our lives do we feel depressed, destroyed, discouraged, broken, dissuaded, or dull? Let’s write those down.
These are the places where we need God’s refreshment—and he’s so willing to meet us there.
Can we invite him into those areas right now?
05.
Pray
Father, thank you for being all good, all powerful, and all loving. There’s nobody like you—and yet you chose to rescue me. Thank you!
Right now, I bring to you the places in my life where I feel defeated and beaten up. (Let’s list them to him now.)
Where the enemy has brought death, Jesus, bring your life. Fill up the dark spaces with your light, and refresh my soul with your peace.
You say you will show me the ways to go and teach me the pace of work and rest, action and contemplation. I receive whatever you have to show me—I’m listening. I love you, Lord.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
