Thirsty....

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is in John 4, the woman at the well. In the story, we find that Jesus has gone out of his way and has stopped in a town where most would have said he shouldn't be... But Jesus had a divine appointment that day. There was a woman living there who had had multiple husbands and was living with a man who was not her husband, she was a thirsty woman, looking for love in all the wrong places, seeking fulfillment from things that would never satisfy her. And Jesus went there to tell her that He was the Living Water, that if she would drink from His well of eternal life, she would never go thirsty again.

A few years ago, during a really hard time in my life, God showed me that I was a lot like the woman at the well, seeking satisfaction in all the wrong places. I wasn't cheating on my husband, but there are a lot of places that we can seek satisfaction apart from Him... We can escape in the television...we can look to our friends...our ministry...our work...our children or our husbands...even the mall or the refrigerator can be places we run to when we're thirsty...spiritually thirsty. And what God taught me during that time is that everything in my life was His blessing to me, but these things could never be a source, only Jesus could be that source that would satisfy and fill me up.

I wish I could say that I had learned that lesson well and that I never found myself empty again, but I'm a slow learner and sometimes I just have to be reminded.

This morning, I found myself very tired...physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually tired. Abby has been sick for 3 weeks, first with bronchitis and now with a sinus infection... She has coughed up so much gunk that a few times she couldn't breathe...it was incredibly scary and so I find myself not sleeping well, always listening for her in case she needs help.

Zack is still out of soccer and will be for several more weeks with his ankle... My computer died, the diswasher broke and now the washing machine is on the fritz and in the midst of it all, I got sick too.

But life doesn't stop when chaos takes over, somehow we have to find a way to get through it all. A wise friend taught me years ago that the mom is the emotional hub of the family...I've also heard us compared to a thermostat. So I feel a great responsibility to be peaceful and calm, even when things seem to be falling apart... It doesn't mean I can never get upset, it just means that I can't wallow in it... I don't want things to cause me to be unfairly short with the kids (want doesn't always translate to reality) but that is what I strive for... In a stressed economy, I don't want to lay unnecessary emotional burdens on my husband... I want to live the life that Jesus said He came for, "I have come that they might have life and have it to the full..." aka, the abundant life...even in the midst of the daily annoyances of life!

So when I found myself at the end of my rope this morning, I started asking 'why?' And I didn't have to search far for the answer... In the craziness of life, I had taken my eyes off of my Source... I had started looking to other things to rest me and refresh me... television... candy bars... a trip to the mall... alone time.

And once again I was reminded that Jesus is the Living Water, He is the only true source of refreshment...if I would always look to Him, I would never run dry. It doesn't mean I would never have problems, but it does mean that He would sustain me through those problems.

I am so thankful that even though I wander, God is always pursuing me and drawing me back. During these hard times that our country is going through...during times of trials and suffering, it is even more essential to remember to give time to our relationship with God. He is the only one who will sustain us and carry us through.

I love the words of the psalmist in Psalm 73:25-26

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

If you will look to Him alone, He will be the strength of your heart...your portion that satisfies...He will carry you through whatever your facing with peace and joy... He will be your Enough...