Be sure to do something good for yourself!
What do you do to treat yourself?
Let’s say you’ve finally earned that degree! Or you’ve finally made it through a really hard season or had a tough week, and someone says to you, “Now make sure you do something good for yourself!” What’s the very first thing that comes to mind?
After weeks of preparation and effort around the Miracle Conference—and at the same time, the Audio Guide was running too, plus all the usual craziness—a friend wrote to me: “Make sure you do something good for yourself today—maybe sushi.” And sure enough, I was already on my way to do exactly that: buy sushi.
But later, as I was eating my beloved sushi, I thought, “This actually isn’t doing me that much good right now. I’m so exhausted and so empty—there needs to be more.”
And if you’re thinking the same thing, like “I’m so worn out and so empty—there needs to be MORE,” then whatever you’ve defined as “doing something good for myself” won’t be enough.
I ask myself this question too: how is it that we’ve come to associate “treating ourselves” with things like a massage, lazily lying on the couch, or delicious food?
If your soul is empty, it won’t be enough to fill your body.
If your soul needs rest, it won’t be enough to give rest only to your body.
Really, we should be saying: “Do something good for yourself—and let God speak into your heart again. Spend time with Him.”
Because: “He refreshes my soul.” (Psalm 23:3, NIV)
Or as another translation says, “He renews my strength.” (Psalm 23:3, NLT)
Only when you fill what is empty will you move forward FUL-FILLED.
If your car’s gas tank is empty, you don’t drive into the car wash and hope the car will run again afterward just because it looks better, right?
In the same way, you can’t expect to move forward with renewed energy if you’ve treated your body to a massage, but your soul hasn’t received anything at all.
Do you see what I mean?
So today, take a moment to ask yourself: “What truly does me good when I’m drained and tired?” And then you’ll discover that because He refreshes your soul, He gives you new strength!
You are a miracle!
