“I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” (Philemon 4-7)
What’s the longest you’ve ever stayed awake? I’m a bit of a lightweight in this department—I think my record is somewhere around 36 hours. Still, it was eye-opening, pardon the pun. At a certain point, the body decides, “we’re sleeping now whether anyone likes it or not.” Even a few hours of sleep after a time of deprivation can restore the body significantly.
Did you know that our souls need rest and restoration as well? Perhaps you're feeling this acutely even as you read this article! If sleep is the answer for the exhausted body, what is the answer for the exhausted soul? A unique phrase used twice in Philemon recently led me to ponder this. I’d like to share some thoughts with you given our common need for regular soul refreshment.
Believers’ hearts need refreshment. Paul’s letter to Philemon, best known for its occasion*, assumes and directly addresses this reality. Paul uses the phrase “refresh the heart” to convey the concept of bringing rest, comfort, emotional restoration to the believer. The underlying verb draws on the imagery of soldiers or workers finding relief from exertion.
The concept appears initially as Paul prays for the refreshment of other believers’ hearts (Phm 6). He later alludes to his own need for refreshment (Phm 20).
The need for soul rest is nothing of which to be ashamed. Paul certainly doesn’t seem to be ashamed, neither in this context nor in his other writings (1 Cor 16:18; 2 Tim 1:16; Rom 15:32; 1 Thess 3:6-7). In fact, the foregoing references indicate Paul’s regular need for refreshment. Why would we be different? There are tremendous pressures that come upon us in various forms—temptation, heartache, guilt, physical maladies, societal pressure to conform, broken relationships, spiritual disappointments—all of which exhaust the soul. No wonder the psalms so often note the need for rest of the soul (Psa 37:7; 55:22; 62:1-2; 91:1-2; 116:7; 127:2).
God uses believers to refresh the hearts of other believers. This conclusion is founded upon a couple of other truths in Philemon.
First, love and faith are individual blessings. Paul relates his thanksgiving to God because of Philemon’s love and faith (Phm 5). That is, there is an exemplary quality of love and faith in Philemon that makes his life notable not only to Paul but to others around Philemon, for news about him has reached Paul in prison.
Second, individual love and faith are community commodities. God has designed the Christian life to take place in a community of saints (Eph 4:1-16). The love and faith experienced by the individual assume objects outside of self. Christian love has objects in the Godhead and the church (Phm 5). Likewise, faith trusts in the person of Christ.
When Paul prays regarding the “sharing” of Philemon’s faith, he likely refers not to evangelism, but to others partaking (koinonia) in the benefits of Philemon’s maturity (Phm 6). Essentially, Paul prays that Philemon’s love and faith would prove contagious among those around him such that their experience of Christ would be fuller than it might be otherwise. The apostle even notes the joy and encouragement he has personally derived from learning that such refreshment has already happened to some extent—other saints’ hearts have been refreshed through Philemon (Phm 7).
Refreshment of the heart/soul comes through gathering and engagement. Refreshment of the body takes place by withdrawing and shutting down. Not so with refreshment of the heart. How else could news of Philemon’s love and faith have reached Paul but that he had been living the Christian life among others who reported it? How else could others have been refreshed by Philemon’s love but by his involvement in their lives?
Consider how Paul’s thanksgiving and petition assume not only that the love and faith of the individual is a community resource, but that resource is only enjoyed by gathering and engaging. Do we think that way? Are we drawn to other believers for the refreshment (spiritual rest and comfort) that can be derived from their love and faith? Similarly, are we moved to live out our own individual love and faith in the community as a source of refreshment for them?
How can we refresh and be refreshed by one another? A few suggestions:
Conspicuous obedience. We may think of our obedience in strictly personal terms, but this letter reframes the issue for us (consider also Matt 5:16). Faithful living of the individual in the context of a community spreads a beautiful aroma, blessing all in numerous ways. Your obedience may remind others of God’s authority, worthiness, and loveliness. It may remind them of the Spirit of power, love, and self-control with which they also have been blessed (2 Tim 1:7). It may say to the whole community, “His commandments are not burdensome” (1Jn 5:3).
In the specific occasion of this letter, Paul exhorted Philemon to obey by extending grace to Onesimus. Paul attached his own refreshment directly to this future act of obedience in Philemon’s life. How might this have refreshed Paul? Anyone who loves Christ and His church will be revived to see others growing in love and faith!
Intentional spiritual conversation. This perhaps is the most obvious avenue of refreshment and one we consider often at PBF. Ironically, it may also be the first activity cut from our schedules when we feel haggard of heart. We think we are too worn out spiritually to gather and engage. Yet, this is like saying, “I’m too sleep deprived to sleep.” Spiritual conversation with believers is precisely what will revive the heart!
Practical encouragement. This could take any number of forms. Text messages just checking in. Pulling another believer aside at church to pray with them regarding a known stressor. Sending a card of encouragement in the mail. Connecting two other believers with one another, knowing they could benefit from each other’s company. A little bit of imagination salted with prayer will lead us to many ways of practically encouraging one another unto the refreshment of hearts. We need only be convinced that this is a primary way God revives us.
Is your heart exhausted? So are ours. Let’s gather and engage that we might all be revived.
*Paul wrote to Philemon to exhort him to deal graciously with his runaway slave, Onesimus.
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