Times of Refreshing

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19

Every morning we are given an opportunity to experience a new day, a new outlook, and new opportunities to explore and embrace. I love this reality. I love the fact that God gives each of us 24 hours in a day. Although the entire 24-hour period is uncharted and unknown by us, it is not uncharted and unknown by God.

Every day, each of us steps out into the world to experience our lives. We are given opportunities to embrace the goodness of God as we experience the challenges of the day. The posture of our heart will determine whether we experience peace, joy, goodness, contentment, and patience.

We see in Acts 3:19 that there is a time of refreshing. This period is a direct result of our willingness to posture our heart toward God, recognize where we have fallen and gone against God’s perfect will for us, and confess that to God. When we return to God we literally choose a different direction. Every decision we make will either glorify God and support His perfect will for us or lead us away from Him and His perfect will He has charted out for us.

Things in this world weigh us down and can rob us from this time of refreshing. Are you facing financial hardship which is causing you anxiety and keeping you from moving your faith forward? Are you or your family members experiencing physical limitations or illness that is weighing you down? Do you find yourself spending more time thinking about your problems, concerns, and fears than enjoying a time of refreshing? If so, take a moment right now and posture your heart to God. Call out to Him and ask Him to forgive you for allowing these things to weigh you down and cause you to worry. Ask Him to restore to you the time of refreshing. Think about the blessings you have right now and bask in those while you become refreshed by God’s goodness and love.

Remember, God has already charted our path every day before we place our feet on the floor in the morning. He has already walked it and is intimately aware of all the challenges we’ll face along the way. He has already cleared the road blocks that were placed in our path, meant to deter us. If He has chosen to leave challenges in our path, He has already equipped us with His power to address them ourselves. Nothing we experience today is bigger than our God.