Jesus knew the power of a rested soul.
Many examples of this fact are recorded for us in the Bible, where we read over and over that Jesus slowed His followers down by going off to a solitary place. He did this so their souls would not become fatigued.
The soul craves rest. It was not made to run on empty. As the keeper of our soul, it is our responsibility to keep it from hitting empty.
A Word Picture
I liken my soul to my car. Neither will run if the tank is empty.
When the gas gauge on my car hits a quarter tank, I begin to panic about finding a gas station. Becoming quite nervous as the needle passes the “1/4” mark, I frantically search for a gas station. And oh, to not be able to locate a station and find the needle hovering near the “E!”
So much more it is for the soul. It is my responsibility to monitor and keep my soul from pinning the “E.”
Now, here’s the difference between a car and a soul. The soul does not have a gauge, and this makes the job of monitoring crucial.
Replenish
Going back to our example of Jesus, we see that He not only slowed down by observing times of solitude, He also engaged in certain practices that allowed God’s grace to keep replenishing His spirit.
Jesus:
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Had a circle of close friends.
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Participated in corporate worship.
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Fed His mind with Scripture.
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Enjoyed God’s creation.
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Took long walks.
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Welcomed little children.
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Enjoyed partying with non-religious types.
Jesus slowed down, and Jesus replenished.
As we follow His example in caring for our soul, we need to move away from the mindset that spiritual practices are draining obligations and move toward viewing them as practices that connect us to God, His grace, His energy, and His joy.
