A couple of years ago I found myself always feeling tired, stressed and burnt out. The every day balancing act of work, family and school left me feeling depressed at times, like I had no life. I felt that in the midst of all my activity, nothing I was doing was really being done well. If I accomplished anything, I didn’t recognize it or celebrate it because I was too exhausted to simply enjoy life.

I had to be reminded that this was not God’s design for my life. His plan does not include running me into the ground! Sometimes we take on things that He never authorized and wonder why it doesn’t seem to work. Or we engage in activities that He has blessed but in the process forsake our time with Him.

I learned, there is no peace without the Lord’s presence. You can get eight hours of sleep every night and still be worn out if you never enter into the rest of the Lord. In His rest, there is true refreshing. He lifts burdens and gives you solutions for an easier life. He helps you to not worry about the things that are beyond your control.

Your mind does not have to constantly race and calculate the next move because you have visited the place of refreshing. In this place, you are laying back in God’s chair, receiving instructions and encouragement as the angels massage your worries away.

“I’ll refresh tired bodies; I’ll restore tired souls.” Jeremiah 31:25 (MSG)

Hit refresh on the browser of your life today. Update the page with news that everything will be ok, you will survive this challenge and it will be well. Remember how He has helped you before and see that it only gets better. See the new you, rested and peaceful with energy to spare and joy running over.

Psalm 23:3  Amplified Bible

He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake.

I recently started working out with a personal trainer because I want to get in shape and adopt a healthier lifestyle. I was tired of going through phases of activity and inactivity. I wanted someone to coach me into making this a permanent part of my life.

I am amazed at how in a few short weeks I am already seeing results. Honestly I sometimes hate the pain involved as my body is being conditioned. However, I do not hate the resulting muscle definition and smaller waistline! When it hurts I try to think about the end-result and how that pain means I am getting closer to my goals!

What helps is that working my body consistently yields immediate results. There is no waiting to see if the work is paying off, it is quite evident in the way I look and feel. I understand how what I affectionately call “torture” is actually sculpting me into a healthier and stronger person.

My trainer is skilled in knowing exactly what to do transform my body and make it better, therefore I trust his instruction. His work is related to how our Father God, the Almighty Potter molds and shapes our lives. I am trusting the Lord every day to sculpt me into a better person. There are times when it hurts as He molds me and takes out the impurities, however the positive results are immediate!

I look back at my life and I don’t recognize the lump of clay that I used to be, dull, lifeless and seemingly without purpose. Now my life has taken shape; I’m a vessel fit and ready to be used for His glory as the Designer continues to work out the imperfections.

Thank you for molding me Lord, for breathing life into the formless mess that used to be me. I love You and I will praise You forever!

Isaiah 64:8 (New King James Version)

But now, O LORD,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand.

Are you aware of the fact that you have the breath of the Almighty God flowing through you? Not only are you always in the presence of this awesome Spirit, the very same Spirit is within you and sustaining your life.

Now if the breath of God is flowing through your spiritual lungs, consider the cares of this world, the stress, depression, misery and self-destructive behaviors that we choose to engage in as deadly smoke that threatens to destroy our ability to breathe freely. These are drugs that we definitely cannot afford to inhale because they may not only destroy the physical body but have the ability to destroy our heart and mind as well.

Let’s be thankful today for the breath of God, the eternal life-giving air supply that is always available to us. Let us be aware and determine to block the activities that keep us from breathing freely.

Genesis 2:7 (New King James Version)
7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.