Refills

Today we’re talking about refills. We refill our coffee cups, our gas tanks, even our grocery shelves—but what about our hearts and minds?

Ephesians 4:23–24 says, “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

That’s the kind of refill that goes beyond caffeine—it’s the Spirit giving us a fresh mindset, a clean slate, and the strength to walk in God’s ways. So, grab your cup, and let’s talk about what it means to let God give us the refills we really need.

As I sit here drinking my coffee, about ready to get another cup, I think about how quickly we go through life never really thinking about how often we need to be filled up.

The CDC used to tell us that we needed to drink 8 eight-ounce cups of water a day—that’s 64 ounces, about a half-gallon of water each day. Now they say that they no longer suggest a specific daily intake, and it should just be what you feel you need throughout your day.

I’ve heard that a few times—only drink something when you are thirsty, and it is better if you choose water over anything else.

Water is an integral part of our lives on so many levels, not only within our bodies but also within the Bible. So, if drinking water and refilling your soul are so important, why is it something we often forget to do?

Think about how you refill yourself, and let’s not forget that it is needed often.

When you hear the word refill, you may think of liquids, but we need food as well. The Bible tells us many times that we need both bread and water. It tells us that Jesus is the bread of life and also the living water.

So, we need to be mindful of what we are refilling ourselves with. There are a lot of self-help books out there, and those are fine to read, but the Bible is what we should use to refill ourselves and measure our lives against.

If Jesus is the bread of life and the living water, we should strive to fill ourselves up every day with what He is offering to us.

Refill—thinking about that, I pictured a hole in the ground and the pile of dirt next to it, and the only way to refill the hole is to put the work in and move the pile of dirt into the hole.

We can apply this analogy to us as well. We can be sitting there feeling empty, with the resources needed to refill us right next to us, and the only way to be refilled, uplifted, and encouraged is to put the work in. Read your Bible, pray with God, and take the time to do it all.

Life gets busy, but don’t miss the time and opportunities to sit with the Lord or others who can fill you up as well.

Ephesians 4:23–24: “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

Maybe you’ve already refilled your coffee, but have you refilled your soul today? Ephesians reminds us that God wants to renew our thoughts and attitudes—like a spiritual reset button. Just like your phone runs better after a recharge, so do we when the Spirit fills us up again. So, let’s keep leaning in, letting Him do the refilling work only He can do.

I went with this topic today because I randomly thought about how we get refills so often throughout the day, but we don’t really ever stop to refill ourselves.

Just as we need more to drink when we are thirsty, we need to refill our thirsty souls as well.

I know I’m guilty of running myself dry and then trying to figure out why I feel the way I feel or what it is that I’m missing—and most of the time it is time with God, getting filled back up so that I can keep going.

We are resilient, but we still need to be poured into. So, don’t neglect your time with God, letting Him fill you up.

We are where we are for a purpose, and that is the Great Commission, as the Bible tells us. We can give and do all the things necessary, but if we are not diving into the Word, gathering with a community, or even just taking days of rest, we cannot be effective in the work that God has commissioned us to do.

All day, every day, there will be moments to reach others for Christ, and if you are weary and distracted, you can miss the moment that God has placed in front of you. The best way for us to be ready is to fill ourselves every day with God’s Word, knowing that He will give us the strength and knowledge to live out our purpose.

Ephesians 4:23–24: “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

You know what’s funny about refills? Sometimes we don’t realize how empty we’ve gotten until someone offers to top us off. That’s true in life, too. The Spirit is constantly ready to pour into us, renewing our thoughts and giving us a new nature in Christ. Ephesians 4 tells us it’s not just about patching up the old—it’s about living brand new. So, let’s step into this last hour with fresh energy, ready to live out of His fullness.

The Holy Spirit is a gift from Jesus, who lives within us once we give our lives to Christ. With the Spirit, we are constantly empowered to do many things we would not be able to do on our own.

We can feel spiritually dry from time to time, but when we turn to God through prayer, scripture, and asking Him to fill us with His Spirit and strength, we are able to feel like a freshly watered plant, soaking up all the Lord offers to us.

When we are filled up, we are not only better spiritually, but we are also able to pour out and be a blessing to others as well.

God fills and refills. He gives as we need and what we need. So, anytime you feel empty, call on Him.

Sometimes we can feel empty and seek what is needed and still miss the infilling provided. What I mean by that is this… I have felt empty, and with that I have gone to God. I have read my Bible and done all the things needed but still felt empty. Then I realize it’s not that God isn’t filling me up—it’s just that my head and my heart are not in the right place to fully receive what God has.

Being ready to receive is an important step in the process of being filled up so that you can continue on.

It’s like running, and you grab some water, and you miss your mouth. You were thirsty, but you weren’t fully ready to receive what was readily available to you.

When you go to God, be ready to be filled up.

Let’s hold onto this truth: God never leaves us running on empty.

Ephesians 4:23–24 reminds us that the Spirit renews us and clothes us in a brand-new nature—righteous and holy, reflecting Him. That’s the best refill we could ever ask for.

So, whether you need a refill of peace, joy, patience, or just hope for the day ahead, know this—God has more than enough to pour into you. Until next time, keep rising and shining, and don’t forget to go back to the One who always fills your cup to overflowing.