1 Samuel 14:27
“But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened.”

Thank God for the pilgrim life, the life of sacrifice and extreme love for the Master, the life of determination, and the life committed to serving the Lord at all costs. Thank God for pilgrims who have dedicated their all to pursue the enemies of God, who insist on God’s kingdom coming to earth, and who are willing to give their lives for the sake of the lost. Thank God for pilgrims.

But there is something pilgrims sometimes fail to observe. In their zeal for God, they often forget to take care of themselves. They put themselves under extreme oaths of consecration, and over time, their physical and emotional balance becomes strained, and they begin to feel faint and unable to continue their pilgrimage with God. Why? They failed to replenish.

Replenishing means that you know when to renew yourself. Replenishing means you know when to take a break. Replenishing means you know when to say NO to more activities, and when to find rest for the body and soul. Replenishing means walking with God in the cool of the day, and not chasing after new goals and programs. Even Adam replenished.

It is sad to see many great men of God plagued by things that could have been avoided. We sometimes see our God as a taskmaster, someone who is more concerned about His agenda than our well-being. That’s not our God. Yes, He is very determined to enthrone His name in every nook and cranny of the earth, but He is also very concerned about the vessels He uses to achieve this. To our Lord, the means is as important as the goal.

Saul was not like that. He was so concerned about the goal that he did not care about how his people were faring. They were in the midst of battle, but they could not replenish. God had provided substance for replenishing everywhere (there was honey on the ground, dripping everywhere, v25-26 ), but, “no one put his hand to his mouth”. Look at that. God was granting them victory. The enemy was fleeing, but all “the people were faint” (v28).

As we chase our life goals, we must learn to replenish. Jonathan’s face was brightened the moment he tasted honey. He was renewed. We need this renewal. Our faces will not only be brightened through spiritual disciplines. Our brightness will come when we apply the wisdom of replenishing.

Know when to stop. Know when to rest. Know when to take a break. You will still pursue, but make time for replenishing if you will go far. Dear pilgrim, this is not unspiritual. It is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.