This past month my wife and I spent several days in Florence, Italy. The city is fabulous, filled with art (you can visit Michelangelo’s statue of David), a magnificent cathedral, and wonderful restaurants. The only problem with Florence being so great is that it’s packed with tourists—like us.

We joined throngs in the city center. High end stores line the shopping district, and hundreds of kiosks sell leather goods made locally. Spring break brought loads of young people, and we all dodged each other with our cones of gelato and bags of souvenirs.

However, thanks to the long, rich history of the Christian faith in Florence, a number of churches dot the city center. Many remain open for the curious, or the devout, to wander in for a visit. One afternoon in the midst of the crush, we noticed a small door and escaped inside.

The quiet of the church enveloped us. We strolled and looked at the art, then sat for a few minutes in the stillness. I couldn’t help but pray, thanking the Lord for his goodness. A verse from a psalm describes the moment: The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

We exited back to busy streets and fevered shopping. I realized that regardless of the crazy around me, the Lord refreshes my soul. No matter how our world changes, God never shifts. He waits in quiet places, steps away from our frenzy.

Notice the doorway and duck in. The Lord waits to refresh your soul.

Psalms 23 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Annie Spratt