There is nothing better after a long, challenging, tough workout than to stop and refresh with a swig of some high quality H2O. We all know this feeling: Tired and out of breath, we need a break and some water! During games, this is accomplished usually during timeouts or between quarters; time to grab some refreshing water to relax, replenish the mind and reapply focus.

Our spirits are also prone to dehydration and fatigue. The spirit can become wilted and weary as it is constantly tugged and pulled in countless directions by social media, family, relationships, school, work, entertainment, you name it! Our spirits are always in go-mode. But we cannot neglect to take a timeout and provide opportunities to refuel, replenish and satisfy this part of our lives. A couple ways we can do this include: talking, listening and positioning.

TALKING: We spend a lot of time with our own thoughts throughout the day. So much so, I would argue the person we talk to the most throughout the day is ourselves. What are we saying? What we think and say to ourselves can be hugely uplifting or devastatingly detrimental.

LISTENING: What we allow into our minds has a big impact on the state of our spirits. There is no shortage of things trying to get inside our heads: TV, radio, Snapchats, YouTube videos, movies, advertisements, and on and on and on. A lot of messages exist in this world — which ones do we let in?

POSITIONING: Just like in sports, being at the right place at the right time often leads to better outcomes! We can’t hear or speak the right message if we don’t position ourselves in a place to be successful. This includes hanging with the right people, sitting with God’s Word and seeking positive messages.

Let’s not forget the most soul-thirst-quenching news of all: the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is news of love, hope and redemption, of forgiveness, peace and joy. A big gulp of this can satisfy the most restless and weary of souls! It is a message from God directly to us! We need to speak this to ourselves often, tune our ears to hear this message daily and surround ourselves with people who live in light of this news!

Do I allow my soul to become fatigued, neglected?
How is my self-talk throughout the day?