Fill the Well

Are you running on empty?

Maybe the most common metaphor we use is the image of the gas gauge on our car.  When that needle points towards E & the warning light comes on, you know it’s time to pull over & refuel.  And if you think you can keep going without refueling, just try it.  It won’t be long until you’re stranded on the highway doing the walk of shame on the median to the nearest gas station!

It’s a real thing.  Your car needs gas.  And you have to refuel as well if you want to keep moving forward.  But recently I’ve traded in the old gas gage for a metaphor I like better.

 

These days I try to think of this idea in terms of “filling the well.”

Imagine you have this giant well filled with crystal clear water.. You need water to survive.  You use water for so many things throughout your day.  You need water to drink.  Water to wash clothes, wash dishes, wash children!  You need water to keep the plants growing.  Water to cook & prepare meals.  The list goes on & on.

If you go to draw water from the well every day it will eventually run dry.  Unless, of course, you take time to fill the well.  If you take time every day to fill the well then the well will never run dry.  You’ll have all the water you need, come what may, each day.

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Every day we’re drawing water from the well.
We’re drawing on the internal resources we have to go about our day, face the challenges in front of us & deal with the stress that comes at us.  But what happens when we never take time to fill the well?  What happens when the well runs dry?

Burn out.  Anxiety.  Depression.  Fear.  Worry.  Sin.  It’s a long & brutal list.

But the converse is also true.  What happens when you fill the well each day?  Maybe you’ve known people like this.  I have.  People, who even when they should be irritated, upset & angry, have such peace about them.  It’s almost weird.  But then you realize… something is different about them.

I would argue that as followers of Jesus this should be our norm.  Not the exception to the rule.  That we, those of us who claim to follow the Prince of Peace, should be filled with peace.  But that can only happen when we take time to fill the well.

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Jesus was a big fan of wells I think.
One of the most famous stories about Jesus was when He was at a well in Samaria.  He met a women there who was thirsty in more ways than one.  Jesus offered her living water.  Water that would quench her ultimate thirst & would never run dry.  What would you give today for that kind of water?  That kind of hope?  That kind of sustaining & saving power in the midst of your current situation & problems?

This is the kind of water we’re talking about.  Water that never runs dry.  Water that sustains you through any & every situation.  Water that heals the brokenness inside you.  Water that satisfies like nothing you’ve ever experienced.  You need this water in your well.

So how do you fill the well?
It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who claim Jesus as Lord who are stressed out, worn out & burnt out.  I get it.  I’ve been there too.  But my experience tells me more of us live in that zone than we should.  Why?  Because we never take time to fill the well.

The good news is that it’s not rocket science.  It doesn’t cost anything.  There’s no catch.  No gimmick.  But you do have to take initiative.  You do have to take action.  You can’t be a passive follower of Jesus & expect to be a follower of Jesus.  Following Jesus by definition means you get up & walk!

How to Fill the Well
We may all have different ways of filling the well.  But here are what I believe to be the common denominators.

1. The Word.
There’s no substitute for being in the Word of God.  No other book is living & active.  No other pages contain the life giving breath of God.  If you’re running dry, open the Word of God which is the breath of God & let Him breath new life in you today.  And if you’re wondering where to start, find the red letters.  As followers of Jesus I personally believe we should hear the words of the One we claim to follow everyday.  (In Matthew, Mark, Luke & John the words of Jesus are often written in red in many Bibles.)

2. Worship.
When was the last time you were lost in worship?  For me there are two important aspects of worship.  Communal worship & personal worship.  Both are essential.  There’s nothing like being with the people of God proclaiming the praises of God.  But there’s also nothing like you & God being alone in a place where you can worship the King of kings & the Lord of all.  Where you can worship Him in your own way.

3. Community.
Some might think you can follow Jesus on your own & that you don’t need anyone else.  False.  We were meant to do life together. Jesus didn’t call one guy to follow Him.  He called twelve.  And there were many others, men & women alike, who walked with Him.  Take note that Jesus highly valued community.  He knew we would need each other if we wanted to follow Him.

4. Margin.
If you really want to fill the well, if you’re on the verge of running dry, then here’s one essential piece you can’t miss.  You probably don’t have any margin.  You need unclaimed space & time in your day or week to rest. From the beginning of time God has brought this principle forward.  But we love to be busy.  In fact, being busy has become a status symbol.  When we say we’re “busy” it’s seen as a good thing & it somehow means we’re good at our job & we’re important.  God created the whole world & then rested on the seventh day.  Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to rest & pray.  If you want to fill the well then take a break.  Someone once said, & I love this, that sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap!

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in filling the well?
One more thought… I think we have to acknowledge the fact that the Holy Spirit is alive in us.  And He plays a vital role in keeping us fresh & refreshed.  If you’re like me the Holy Spirit will often prompt you, remind you, help you & guide you in very small everyday ways.  When you’re tapped into the well, this spring of Living Water will be a constant source of peace.  The Holy Spirit is literally God in you.  Allow Him to fill you, lead you, calm you, refresh you & fill you.

God wants to fill you up so you can be poured out.  If you’re constantly being poured out & never allow Him to fill you up, you’re going to end up on the sidelines.  But what happens when you allow life & ministry to happen out of the overflow of your life in God?  It’s way better than always trying to run on empty.

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May you take time to fill the well today.  May the Holy Spirit come upon you in grace & peace.  And may you never run dry again.