Pastor Virgil Lee, Senior Pastor of New Life Church
Fall has a way of reminding me of hard work. During my teen years, I spent many autumn days either in a harvest field or on a football field. Both taught discipline, endurance, and the value of pushing through discomfort. I can still remember long hours in the heat, sweat running down my face, lungs burning from another drill, and the simple thought that one drink of water might solve everything.
Then came the familiar voice of a coach: “Water only makes you weak; run the play again.” At the time, it sounded like toughness. Looking back, it also sounds like a phrase many people still live by, even if they are no longer wearing shoulder pads or working in the field.
Today, much of our running happens inside the heart and mind. We run through concerns about money, family, health, the future, world affairs, and phone calls we wish had never come. We keep processing, planning, worrying, and carrying burdens. Sometimes we begin to believe that stopping would mean weakness, so we keep moving even while our souls are thirsty.
Scripture offers a different invitation. Psalm 42:1–2a says, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” That image is not of weakness, but of honesty. A deer that pants for water knows what it needs. The question for us is whether we are honest enough to admit what we need as well.
Too often, we reach for substitutes. Like choosing soda instead of water after a hard practice, we may reach for things that feel good for a moment but do not truly restore us. They may distract us, entertain us, or numb us, but they do not satisfy the deeper thirst of the soul. As my wife’s grandfather used to say, “Water—best for you and least advertised.” That is true spiritually as well.
In a culture that celebrates busyness, many people need permission to pause. We need to remember that resting in the Lord is not defeat; it is renewal. The soul needs living water, and Christ offers what constant motion never can. This week, take time to stop, pray, open Scripture, and ask God to refresh what hurry has drained.
If you already have a church home, attend, get involved, and grow there. Make worship, fellowship, and service a regular part of your week, not just an occasional stop when life feels heavy. If you do not have a church home, New Life Church would be glad to welcome you on Sunday at the clubhouse at 8:30 a.m. Come expecting encouragement, bring your questions, and allow God’s Word to point you toward peace, strength, and lasting hope. In this busy season, may we all learn to stop running long enough to be refreshed.