The Living Water

^“1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. ² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Psalm 42:1-2

I love this imagery because it’s so true. Without Jesus, our souls become dry. Our souls actually thirst for Jesus, like this deer panting for water in a stream.

Have you ever felt this dryness and this emptiness?

Whether you're following Jesus or not, we've all experienced that deep longing for something more, something that satisfies the ache inside of us.

If you are someone who loves Jesus, I’m sure you have experienced seasons where you felt so close to Him; where you experienced His peace, His joy, and His presence in such a real way. That’s God’s promise, and that’s the place we all desire to be. But the reality of life is that sometimes we all experience this spiritual dryness. Maybe things are going well, but you feel a little numb inside. You’re going through the motions, keeping up with all your responsibilities, chasing your goals, scrolling through your social media, hanging out with friends.

But deep down, you feel an ache and emptiness, like something is missing.

The reality is, our hearts are so easily led astray. The world around us is enticing, constantly competing for our attention. Without even realizing it, we start to drift far from the only One that can truly satisfy our souls.

Then one day, we can feel that distance.

Our souls begin to feel dry. We feel anxious.

Irritated.

Sad.

Numb to the things of God. In a spiritual desert.

We want to go back to Jesus. We know He’s still there, waiting for us. But somehow, the steps to go back to Him seem too heavy for our exhausted souls to even attempt.

So, we stay stuck and dry.

It’s like there’s a wall in front of us that we can’t seem to push through.

Then the guilt creeps in.

What happened to the fire I once had for Jesus? 

What happened to the joy I used to feel?

I’ve wandered too far this time. God must be disappointed in me.

I’ve believed those lies too. I’ve felt that same dryness in my own soul.

In John 4, Jesus tells the woman at the well that He is the Living Water, and that whoever drinks the water He gives "will never thirst again.” He wasn’t talking about physical thirst, but about the deepest thirst of our souls. Jesus knew her soul was dry. He knew her story. He knew she had been married five times and that she had been searching for love in places that could never truly satisfy the deepest longing of her heart. He knew, and He met her there at the well. He didn't shame her for the places she had been searching for love. Instead, He offered her something better: the Living Water that could satisfy the deepest thirst of her soul and become a spring of refreshing water within her, leading to eternal life.

I can relate to the woman at the well.

I have a relationship with Jesus, but sometimes my heart still starts looking for love and approval in places that can never truly satisfy me. For example, sometimes I find myself spending more time on social media than I do reading my Bible or praying. Before I know it, I’ve started measuring my worth by likes, follows, or what people think of me. For a moment, those things make me feel seen. But when the likes or follows don’t come, I start scrolling and comparing myself to everyone else’s lives, and I’m left feeling anxious, discouraged, and emptier than before.

Whenever I stop spending time with Jesus and become distracted by other things in this world, I’m left feeling empty and weary, and my soul quickly begins to feel dry. I don’t feel very good about myself. I try to read my Bible and pray, but I can’t seem to push past my flesh. I feel apathetic and numb to the things of God.

And then I feel guilty because I remember how close I have been with Jesus in past seasons, and I feel like He is looking down at me in disappointment and anger for my wandering heart.

But I don’t think that’s God’s heart at all.

I don’t think He is angry, standing there with crossed arms.

I think He just misses spending time with us.

What amazes me most about Jesus is that He doesn't walk away when we become distracted by other things. He knows the things we're chasing will leave us empty, but He still waits for us. And when we return, we don't find anger; we find His loving, open arms.

Whether you've followed Jesus your whole life, you're finding your way back to Him, or you're simply wondering if there's more to life than what you've experienced so far, I hope you'll consider this:

As humans, we all feel these deep desires to feel happy and satisfied, these longings to feel enough, and to feel whole. We chase things in this world to satisfy these desires: success, relationships, entertainment, and approval. Anything to satisfy this ache inside of us.

But what if that longing and emptiness that we are trying to fill is a spot that only God can fill?

If your soul is running dry today, don't keep searching for another well. Jesus is still the Living Water. He's still waiting. And His invitation is the same as it was at the well all those years ago: "Come to Me."

My prayer for you today is this:

Lord, I pray for the person reading this whose soul feels empty today. As they seek you, may they find you, the Living Water. Fill their empty souls with your Living Water until they overflow with your love, for you are what their hearts have been searching for. I pray that they would discover that the deepest longings of their heart are met in you, and that they would experience the wholeness that can only be found in you.

Lord, I pray for the person who knows you, but is being pulled away by other distractions and finds themselves feeling far from you. I pray that your Holy Spirit would remind them of your love for them, and that you would help them take those steps to return to you. Remind them that they don’t have to be afraid to come back to you, that your arms are still open. Help them to make time with you a priority again, and as they do, fill them with your Living Water until it overflows into every part of their lives. I pray that their dry souls would be refreshed and that a deep joy would well up in their hearts.

Lord, help us to desire you above everything else and to keep you as the priority in our lives. Forgive us for our wandering hearts that so often search for satisfaction in things that could never truly satisfy us. Thank you for your faithful love, for your forgiveness and mercy, and for always welcoming us home with open arms whenever we stray.

Amen.