"Repent, therefore, and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."
-Acts 3:19
Usually when I think of "refreshment," I think of peace.
If I were to plan a time of refreshment for myself, the first thing that would come to my mind, being the introvert I am, would probably be a nice, cozy cabin waaaaaaaaay up on a mountain and waaaaaaaaay away from civilization.
Like...WAAAAAAAYYYYYYY away from civilization. Far enough away that I wouldn't have to hear my brother's yodeling, whistling and singing...far enough away that I wouldn't have to hear siblings squabble with each other...far enough away that I would finally have peace and quiet.
On this little dream vacation of mine, I would take walks, draw, read, pick flowers, eat chili and chicken noodle soup, drink apple cider and coffee, and write books. I would be on my own time schedule. No one would be around to say, "You'd probably better get to bed," or, "Don't forget about your chores!" Everything would be absolutely silent, except for the crackle and snap of the fire in the fireplace, the chirping of the birds, and the wind through the pines...oh, and that little voice inside my head that talks to me quite frequently. We kind of keep each other company, that little voice and I. That's why I don't mind being alone, I guess...I have all kinds of fake people to talk to, and they never annoy me or pick fights over stupid things. :)
That is MY kind of vacation. Quiet...still...carefree...alone. Peaceful. Refreshing.
About six months ago, I was trying to figure out how on earth some people led such happy lives...so carefree, so relaxed, so peaceful. They were always so happy with where they were in life. I was frustrated with myself for not being able to be joyful all the time, for not being able to rejoice no matter what the circumstances. I was having an especially hard time with my younger siblings then...I could never seem to say or do the right thing when it mattered.
Then one day the whole family was gone and the house was quiet...I was home alone by myself. I cleaned up the kitchen, put music on, and started rebuilding a Lincoln-log house I had accidentally knocked over. I was relaxed. No siblings, no noise, no conflict. And I thought, "Well, maybe this is what peace is...maybe this is happiness."
Of course, I was wrong. The minute the kids got home, the music was drowned out, the peace was shattered...and one of my siblings even had the nerve to say that I had built the Lincoln-log house all wrong. I don't remember what happened after that, but I probably said something dumb like, "Well who cares? I made it better than it was before!" Which of course could not have helped less.
So -- obviously -- I did not find the real way to have peace.
Actually, did you know that the word "peace" doesn't mean the same thing as "refreshment"?
According to Dictionary.com, peace is defined as, "cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension," "freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquility; serenity," and, "a state of tranquility or serenity." The definition of refresh is, "to stimulate," "to make fresh again; reinvigorate or cheer (a person, the mind, spirits, etc.)," and, "to provide new vigor and energy by rest, food, etc."
Nowhere in the definition for refresh does "freedom from distraction, annoyance and anxiety" appear. In Greek -- the language that a portion of the Bible was written in -- the definitions are also different. I did a word search of the word "peace" in the Bible, and in most cases the word for peace in Greek is eirēnē, meaning (as said in Strong's Bible Concordance) "by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again."
In Greek, the word used for refreshing in Acts 3:19 is anapsuxis, which means "recovery of breath" or (figuratively) "revival."
Now we see again, the two definitions are not the same. Revival and quietness/rest aren't the same thing...although it is possible for them to be alike at times.
Looking at the full context of Acts 3, some people have said it is possible that Peter (who was speaking in verse 19) could have been referring to the time when Jesus Christ would come back and take all believers home to heaven. If that is so, then God be praised! We have a time of refreshment waiting for us...a kind of refreshment so wonderful that we can't even imagine it! But I believe that, even if it is true that the refreshment spoken of here is for later on in heaven, God offers us refreshment here on earth. If you lift up to the Lord the desires of your heart and present them to Him to use as He wishes, He will bless that. Refreshment, invigoration, cheer, and revival come through submitting your will and praying that God's will be done.
In Isaiah 64:4, it is written, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him."
{emphasis added}
And in James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."
Not "He might," or "if He feels like it..." NO! He will! Maybe not even in the way you envisioned, but He will!
Refreshment can be found also through reading/studying the Bible, praying, and having fellowship with other believers. And, of course, "repenting and returning."
First of all, let me stress to you how important reading the Bible is! I've found a new way of having devotions (which I'll be sharing in a future post), and I have been learning so much! Once, though, I slacked off for about two or three months, hardly reading or studying the Bible at all, and that was probably the toughest three months I've had in a long time. I was angry, easily provoked, and was having one of the more difficult times with my siblings. Reading is important, folks! Don't just let it slip, like I so often do. The apostle Peter was a fisherman by trade. He was probably not considered to be very important by his acquaintances...after all, he was only a fisherman! I don't know how much schooling fishermen would have had...maybe none at all? All I know is that they probably weren't scholars, by any means! And before Peter met the Lord, I doubt he had any reason to study the Scriptures. But notice that after his life was changed, after Jesus had died on the cross, he wrote those two letters that we know so well as 1st and 2nd Peter. In 1 Peter, I've noticed especially, he refers back to Isaiah, Psalms, and Proverbs many times. And if you'd look in Acts and read the things he said when he preached...it becomes obvious that he does know Scriptures, and quite well, too. My guess is that he probably studied them during or after the time Jesus was on earth. (And Jesus probably quoted Scripture to him a lot, as well, which would account for at least some of Peter's knowledge.)
The words in the Bible are powerful. Or, rather, the God behind them is powerful. God has a way of showing you the verses you need to hear, just at the right time. Don't stop Him from blessing you through His word in your devotions! Another thing I might add...it's probably a good idea to have your own devotions and not just go along with whatever your dad or mom is reading that night. Family devotions is great, but God can -- and does! -- bless the one-on-one time you spend with Him through His word.
And then there's the studying. That, people, is actually where it gets fun. It is amazing what depth the Bible has, what historical accuracy, and what relevancy to today's day-and-age! When I read a book -- a good one, that is -- I will fall in love with the characters and feel like I know them inside and out by the time I'm finished the story. Do you ever fall in love with the Bible characters? Do they mean something special to you? Do you feel horribly embarrassed when they make a mistake and say something dumb (the apostle Peter for instance, when he rebuked Jesus... *cringe*)? Do you feel the same emotions they feel? I do! (But more on that later in a future post...)
Prayer is also really important. One thing I've found about prayer is that it isn't always necessary to talk. I am a bit of an introvert, and I think quite a lot of silence. It's actually possible to communicate with someone without speaking. Just being with someone can sometimes be just as much of a blessing as when you are talking. Sometimes, especially when I'm outside, I will feel God's presence around me, and I'll just bask in it. I don't have to say anything. God knows that I'm worshiping Him in that way. (Of course, just because you can worship God without talking doesn't mean that you shouldn't ever talk. Talking can be pretty beneficial too. But I just thought I'd share a new idea. *smile*)
Haha, at first I was going to list the "Reading/studying the Bible, prayer, fellowship, and repentance/returning" in order of importance. But I couldn't figure out what that order was, since they all seem important. I think that if you have fellowship with God, worshiping Him and talking to Him on a daily (or hourly!) basis, all the rest will follow...reading, fellowship with believers, and having true repentance for sin.
But I think that having good fellowship is definitely high up on the list. From what we see in the news about teenagers (and grownups too, come to think of it) drinking alcohol, smoking, having fights, getting high on drugs, committing suicide, and getting into all sorts of trouble, it's obvious that they were somehow influenced by someone to do those things...probably a close friend that they look up to, or maybe a relative who made bad choices. Aaaaaand, judging by that, I think it's pretty safe to say that it is REALLY important who you spend time with. Talking and laughing with (or at?:) other Christians can really build your character up for the better. They're there to help you, to walk alongside you and give you guidance. Praying with and for them can build bonds of friendship that will last forever...the kind of friendships that get better and better with time, because of Christ.
And then there's repenting.
*sigh*
That one's hard. (Sincere repentance, that is.)
I should probably go back and read the first "Ashamed" post all over again. :)
Really, guys and gals. If I do not repent of my sins and return to God over and over and over and over again, what will happen? I'll tell you what will happen. A gulf, a chasm, will spring up between me and God, and my relationship with God will no longer be the same. I can tell you from experience, if I don't make things right with God, I feel testy and irritable...and sometimes I get downright angry at nothing. I know, deep in my heart and deep in my soul, if I am not right with God, nothing is right. God will forgive! But we have to repent and ask forgiveness. And guess what will happen when we do?
God will wipe out our sins. And times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord.
