I was holding a 16.9 ounce bottle of purified water when I thought about the importance of staying hydrated. I try to drink about four bottles of water per day since my body is about 60% water, and I am constantly losing water from basic bodily functions, sweating, and just breathing. To avoid becoming dehydrated, I need to consume plenty of water everyday. Health experts suggest we drink at least eight 8-oz cups or about ½ gallon each day. Some experts also suggest sipping on water even if you're not thirsty. I shared all of that because I have to revisit the question from the blog at the beginning of March, 'are you growing or stagnant?' Well, to keep growing, we have to stay hydrated. I talked about how I do that naturally; however, I cannot leave you without including a spiritual application as well. In the introduction of When I Was 40: Overcame Some Challenges, Still Learning and Growing, I stated. “Find yourself growing instead of remaining stagnant as I once was.” Near the end of Chapter 1, I said, “…the foundation of a spiritually healthy church is a spiritually healthy home or family unit. If I am stagnant at home, it is very likely that I will be stagnant at church or…I will be pretending at church…One day, I was tired of the pretense and stagnation.” Physical health begins with avoiding dehydration. I can do this if I drink water regularly and not just when I’m thirsty. I believe the same principle applies to our spiritual health. The word water is found 722 times in Scripture and it’s generally used of literal water. It is also used figuratively in many ways, including salvation (John 4:7-14), the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-38), the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26), and daily supply (Psalm 23:1-3). The daily supply described here lets me know that God “refreshes my soul.” That is how we can avoid spiritual stagnation and dehydration. Daily time with God refreshes the soul: reading His Word, spending time in prayer, worship, relying on the help of the Holy Spirit, and resting in Him. Since I make time to feed my natural body, I must do so spiritually. I must stay hydrated, and I need to spend time with God even when I don’t feel like it. I won’t pretend I’m on a spiritual high 24/7, but I am learning to override my 'feelings' to seek the face of Mighty God. Even when I didn’t always know how to pray or what to read, I tried to make time with God a priority. I try to pay attention to my body because I don’t like feeling dehydrated and depleted. In the same way, I do everything I can to avoid becoming empty, lifeless and spiritually drained and dehydrated. I’m going to stay spiritually hydrated in every way possible or by any means necessary. A healthy church begins first with each of the members of the Body being healthy, renewed, refreshed and revived. If you’re feeling empty, allow God to fill you today. Not feeling like it may be a sign that you need to be hydrated. He restores your soul. Stay hydrated. I'm praying for you!
