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Join us for a 3 part series on God’s refreshment for our souls before we head into the busy holiday season. Today features Part 1, Thursday Part 2 and we will conclude on Friday with Part 3. Enjoy!

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Psalm 42:1-2

It used to be when you asked someone how they were doing, the pat answer was, “fine”—no matter what was going on. The past few years, however, that standard go-to answer seems to have changed. There are two versions I hear a lot…and I bet you hear them too. (I bet, like me, you SAY them!) What are they? (1) “Tired” and (2) “Busy”.

Maybe you’re a wife and mom managing a frenetic household; a single woman juggling crazy work pressures, friendships, and a desire to serve the Lord; a daughter caring for an aging parent; a new mom…newly single…newly widowed…newlywed.

The craziness of life can be overwhelming (whether the craziness is around us—or in us)! We are busy, and we are tired. We long to refresh. Some of us choose a hot bubble bath soak. For others, it’s a quiet walk on the beach—or a hardcore workout. Maybe you’re a spa girl. Regardless of our go-to activity, we all have our ideal ways to refresh (even if this “refreshing” doesn’t make your to-do list very often). These can be good. But none will last.

Do you want to find a deep, truly soul-level restoration? I want to share three ways to do just that. To get refreshment that goes deeper than a two-hour massage, that’s richer than the most decadent chocolate cake, that’s more nourishing than that succulent hydro facial.

1. QUENCH YOUR THIRSTY SOUL WITH THE LORD.

Friend, God created us with a thirst for Him—a God-shaped craving.

Psalm 42:1-2  As the deer pants for the water brooks,So my soul pants for You, God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;

Oh, and we try so desperately to quench that craving with things of this world, don’t we? Relationships, buying stuff, busyness, sex, alcohol, drugs…maybe even Christian service (um, that’s for us Marthas out there). But although there may be a temporary satisfaction, it never lasts. In fact, often the result is a frenzied greed for more and more in efforts to fill up…while the actual void remains. Our soul and flesh yearn for GOD.

 Psalm 63:1   God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and exhausted land where there is no water.

And because He created us with this thirst, this God-shaped vessel, He made a way of quenching and satisfaction. He gave us Living Water—Jesus.

As Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, He tells us: “Ask Me, and I will give you Living Water. Whoever drinks of the water that I will give shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give will become a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

Jesus is Life—He is life-giving. Accepting this invitation to drink of Him is the only way to quench our deep thirst. And like a cold glass of water on a hot day, there is a refreshing…but more than that, there is total renewal and true satisfaction. Not just at salvation, but ongoing through our lives as Christians. We must intentionally partake of Jesus! Martha’s sister, Mary, understood this, didn’t she? She sat at the feet of Jesus and drank in His presence and His words. And although Martha was running around serving Jesus and His people, it was Mary, Jesus said, who chose the better thing (Luke 10).

“I am so thirsty, Lord. May I sit at Your feet to be filled and satisfied by You alone.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life