"For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes." Jeremiah 31:25 (NASB)
“Oh no, I’ll be right back,” she said. The babysitter had informed her that her three-year-old boy was having stomach flu symptoms and was worried he was dehydrated. The panicked mother drove home as fast as she could. One of the first things she did was to give him a replenishing drink, carefully measured, so as not to overdo. Then she sighed. Why was she so foolish to think that working out tonight was a good idea? She never should have gone. She beat herself up with her thoughts, feeling punished and guilty. These were common feelings for her, since she often bounced from one guilty worry to the next, which she thought was par for the course as a mother of four.
Our verse today reminds us that godly replenishment is needed and important. God wants for us to both minister to others as well as accept ministry towards ourselves, which sometimes means seeking it out.
Satan would like for us to sit in the darkness of worry, fear, doubt, and guilt, but God says that we can find full restoration and replenishment with Him. In Christ alone, we have full freedom to live well by doing our best. And like the tender mother offering her son sips of water, God can replenish us each day as well.
Dear Jesus, I am so thankful You replenish me every time I need sleep, healing, rest, or exercise so I can be ready to minister to others. I love caring for others and I recognize that I can do it even better when I take time to care for myself. Please let me find things to do that honor You in my replenishment, and please continue to faithfully restore me each time I lose my way, whether through guilt or sin. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Take Action
Feel like you can’t find rest or that you’re on the verge of burnout? Carve out a time today when you can find replenishment. Don't allow the guilty thoughts about the “Have Tos” overshadow the “Need Tos” of today. Proper rest, exercise, healthy food choices, and especially prayer and time in God’s Word will keep you feeling refreshed.