Women of the Gospels: The Woman at the Well

Jesus, Source of Living Water, 

I write this to You, hoping that my words will further unravel Your healing grace that I so desperately need. The well of my soul was deep and almost bone dry; the love I had to give was withered and unmoving. From a place of deep longing, I searched for love in all the wrong places. I learned to love in all the wrong ways. Each time, the love I pursued left me thirstier than before. 

I was desperate to belong to someone. Surface-level fixes or relationships never sufficed for the true desire I had for love. A love I now know only You can provide. 

When we met at the well, I didn’t believe You could do all that You said. I was stuck in shame. I felt so unworthy. Could You actually provide refreshment after all I had done?

You knew I was physically thirsty. 

You knew I was emotionally thirsty. 

You knew I was spiritually thirsty. 

You said to me, “ Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of fresh water welling up to eternal life.”  (John 4: 13)

I could not understand how a sinful woman like myself, blinded by a lifestyle of lukewarm love, could become a spring of fresh water welling up with authentic love. You knew all that I had done, yet You met me with grace.

But You did not go to the well that day for water. You went for me.

All it took was one drop of water in the form of a loving encounter with You, and I knew my worth. There will be no more striving to find love in half hearted or unauthentic places. There will be no more grasping at relationships or behaviors that leave me thirsty.

You said to me, “I am he” the One whom my soul was thirsting for.

Fill me until I am overflowing!

When I begin to draw from the well of desperation and start grasping for solutions or answers, pour into me the water of wisdom and knowledge.

When I begin to draw from the well of negativity, gossip, or resentment, pour into me the water of mercy and understanding.

When I begin to draw from the well of idolatry or numbing instead of dealing, pour into me the water of piety and fear of the Lord.

When I begin to draw from the well of self-reliance or self-pity, pour into me the water of self-worth. 

Pour into me so I may pour into others. Overflow my life with Your grace so that I can’t help but exclaim, “Come see the man who told me everything I had done yet loved me anyway!”

With Love, 

The Woman at the Well

"Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty."

Dear reader, the words written above stemmed from a very personal place this week. Although I can not relate the lifestyle of the woman we met at the well, I can understand her deep desire for refreshment. The demands of life seemed to catch up to me and left me drawing from the bottom of the well. I felt like there was nothing left to give to those under my care. It was easy for me to turn to ‘quick-fixes’ such as a late night treat or distraction on my phone.

But the Lord, in His mercy and compassion, met me at the well. Over the last few weeks, He has been pouring into me through scripture and intentional time in prayer. He has poured into me so I can overflow and continue to pour into those closest to me.

It takes courage to step away from our 'coping' mechanisms such as mindlessly scrolling, overindulgence in food, excessive gossip, alcohol, etc., and allow the Lord's love to flow into our places of struggle or pain. It is easier to dissociate, but unfortunately, we will never truly be satisfied if we continue to draw comfort from these inauthentic places!

Let us use the example of the woman at the well to find refreshment from the only One who can provide the refreshment we actually need.

As always, I am praying for you! Until next time, your sister in Christ,

Abby

**To read the story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well, open your bible to John 4:4-42.