I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people. [Philemon v.4-7]
I’m sure most of us have dropped a rock into a body of water and watched with interest what is known as the “ripple effect”. From one initial action/motion, an impact is made bigger, farther and wider than the initial drop. Did you know your actions towards others are like a pebble dropped in a pond?
You’re meant to be a blessing. You can refresh the hearts of the Lord’s people! You are a blessing waiting to happen! The recipe is simple. According to the Apostle Paul’s prayer here for Philemon, if you commit yourself to two simple lifestyle choices, you become a refreshing force to the people of God! What were those two things?
1. Showing love and
2. Living according to the way of faith
That’s really pretty simple! Philemon was a believer, a brother/sister, just like you. He was faithful to show love and kindness to those around him… and that faithful love, like waves, had an impact far beyond him… so much so, that it found it’s way to the Apostle. One good thing really does lead to another… and another… and another! Why? Because when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, living a life of faith, what we do is not simply natural — it’s Supernatural. Our actions (love) produced by faith, reverberate in the spiritual, and go far beyond we could ever reach.
We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).
It’s pretty amazing to me that my willingness to make (sometimes very small, and sometimes very costly) decisions to show love to those around me, we be taken note of by the Lord. Moreover, that they would be carried on in such way, by His Spirit, that my life becomes something the refreshes the hearts of His people. Don’t you want to be one of whom it’s said: they refreshed the hearts of God’s people? Let it be so!
Make it your aim today (and every day), to SHOW love, to BE love, to reflect the nature of Jesus to those around you: your family, your neighbors, your co-workers, etc. Let the faith you profess in the Lover of souls determine your words, your attitude, your actions to them. And, know that as you do, your life becomes a sweet fragrance, a cool drink, a blessing .. that reaches far beyond you!
How has someone refreshed your heart recently? I would love to hear about it, and it may inspire others to follow suit! Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Thankful for you!:)
Jessie Still 