Could Refreshing Someone Else Refresh You Too?

Go Fish is a simple card game commonly played by children. Players ask one another for cards and try to collect matching sets. Because everyone must be truthful about the cards they hold, the game depends on honesty.

Sometimes relationships can begin to resemble competitive games. People hide what they are holding, question one another’s motives, or focus on winning rather than understanding. If you have recently found yourself caught in such a situation, perhaps you need a moment to step back, breathe, and be refreshed.

Today, I invite you to pause and reflect on the latest Heart Reflections painting.

"Refresh!" 2025. Oil on canvas, 30cm x 30cm

The orange slice resembles a wheel, representing a continuing cycle of giving and receiving. It reminds us that refreshing words and thoughtful actions can bring renewed strength to someone who is tired, discouraged, or in need of kindness.

As you observe the painting, consider your present circumstances and the effects they are having on your heart.

What kind of interaction have you been drawn into? Are you trying to defend yourself, prove something, or win?Is it time to step away from the game?

Perhaps refreshment will come not through winning, but through choosing a different response. A kind word, a thoughtful gesture, or practical support offered to someone in need may also bring unexpected renewal to your own heart.

This does not mean ignoring unhealthy behaviour or abandoning necessary boundaries. It means refusing to allow competition, suspicion, or hurt to determine the kind of person you become.

Sometimes the way out of an exhausting game is simply to stop playing—and begin refreshing.

"A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” - Proverbs 11:25