Bringing Refreshing

"Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."
Philemon 7

There are several verses in the New Testament that speak of 'refreshing.' In every case, it refers to the gathering of people. Someone was always refreshing others by visiting them. I think that now, 2000 years later, this applies to us as well. There is no substitute to being with people with like faith and like minds. There is encouragement that comes just because we are together.
    There are two dynamics that I see in this scripture. First, It is important that we continue to meet together. The book of Hebrews tells us to not forsake meeting together. In our language, the writer was speaking about church. Nothing can replace the larger gatherings of the saints. It is vitally important. All of us should be plugged into a church. If you are not, you are missing a great blessing. All ministry that is sustained and valuable flows from the local church. It was this way in the early church and it is still functioning today. There is a strength that envelopes us when we know that we have a connection with a group of believers. Perhaps this is why the apostle Paul calls the church, the body of Christ. We are knit together in a way that transcends the physical. It is a connection that we cannot understand or explain with worldly knowledge. It is spiritually discerned, and all of us should experience it.
    Secondly, the responsibility of refreshing lies squarely on us. Paul praised Philemon for refreshing the saints. This means that his presence, his demeanor, his Godly character, and his actions were a blessing to all those he touched. This was not only in large gatherings, but in face to face encounters with other believers. Whether he knew the person or not, he brought refreshing that was birthed in the Spirit within him. What a wonderful thought it is that we can be like Philemon. We can actually refresh other Christians just by seeing and visiting them.
    Instead of being the person with the 'sour grapes' attitude, what if we went out with the attitude of refreshing? If we determined that we would encourage and refresh others through our encounters, what blessing that would bring? Sometimes we don't even have to speak to bring the refreshing. A hug, a handshake, a touch on the shoulder can often mean more than all the words we can speak. Let's thoughtfully consider being like Philemon. Let's make a point to refresh the saints. You may never know the eternal blessing you bring to a person, but they will and God will remember. Sometimes the smallest of gestures are much greater than any powerful ministry in the eyes of God. Carry the refreshing Spirit of the Lord!