Refresh Your Soul: Moving From Spiritually Dry to Well-WateredSample

I am refreshed by eternal hope. By Taylor Cage

When you’re feeling overwhelmed and emptied by all the worries crowding your heart and all the tasks filling up your to-do list, ask yourself this question: Are the things I’m spending all my mental energy on going to last?

Unfortunately, most of us spend the majority of our days thinking about the things that are seen, the temporary. Whether it’s an overwhelming to-do list of errands and chores, a demanding job, or what to wear before heading out the door each day, our minds get nearsighted, focusing only on what’s right in front of us and missing the big picture. Sadly, this spiritual nearsightedness usually leaves our souls feeling tired and unsatisfied. It leaves us thirsty for something more and in need of refreshment that can only come from the things that are unseen—our eternal hope.

Maybe your suffering today is a minor inconvenience, or maybe it’s a loss so deep you can’t even speak the words, but in light of eternity, all such pain is temporary.

When suffering comes—as it always does—it’s this same unseen, eternal hope that renews our strength. By focusing on the eternal, we see past our temporary current afflictions, whether large or small, to remember the hope that awaits us in heaven. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have eternal hope that our earthly suffering will never have the last word. Even while some hurts may never be healed here on earth, there is no brokenness that eternity in God’s presence can’t restore.

So if you find yourself worn out, weary, overwhelmed, or worried, take a moment to look up today and seek the things that are above rather than the things of this world (Col. 3:1).

While it may not be easy to focus on what is unseen rather than the circumstances we’re currently facing, the Lord has graciously provided us with his Word and his church to point us toward the refreshing truth when our eyes wander. Through spending time in Scripture and being encouraged by our fellow citizens of heaven, we are reminded of our eternal home and refreshed by our eternal hope. So don’t lose heart, sister. Everything that feels heavy today will one day feel light.

Water Your Soul

Consider the things that fill your mind daily. Do you spend most of your time thinking about things that are seen or unseen?

What practical steps can you take to fix your eyes on the things above rather than on the things of this world?