Living with Drought
Sometimes we feel like we’ve dried up inside, and we’re in dire need of spiritual water.
Here in Australia we live in a land of extreme climatic conditions. Droughts are a fact of life in so much of our continent. Sadly, our inner beings often experience droughts as well. We can end up feeling empty, parched and listless. All dried up. Luckily, Jesus has promised “living water” to all those who follow him.
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water that I give them shall never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).
We all go through many different seasons in our spiritual walk with the Lord. We go through times of deep connection and great feelings of joy in what God is doing in and through us. But, sometimes we can feel like we’ve reached a spiritual plateau, like we’re the dried out riverbeds in dire need of water to remind us of God’s truth. This can sometimes feel like a spiritual drought. When this happens, where can we go for relief?
I’d suggest we turn to the word of God and take another look at the words of Christ. He is, after all, “The Word” mentioned at the beginning of John’s gospel. The living water he talked about is Him – “The Word” – and our Bible could be seen as a well of living water that flows straight from God himself. There is truth and encouragement in the words of Christ.
A good friend and Tasmanian country singer Dudley Higgs wrote a song called, The River of Life;
There are rivers around this world that run dry
On a drought thirsty land where the dust storms go by
But as sure as all rivers flow to the sea
There is one river that will never run dry
We see mountains of beauty wherever we roam
And they tell of their wonders way over the foam
But as long as the stars will hang in the sky
There's one river that will never run dry
It's the river of life that's flowing today
And you'll find that its waters just won't fade away
Trust in God's love and you'll surely know why
It's one river that will never run dry
There are great lakes and dams in this country of ours
There are waterfalls and springs that flow with the showers
But as long as this world keeps on rolling by
There is one river that will never run dry
Yes the river of live is flowing today
And you will find that its waters just won't fade away
Trust in God's love and you'll surely know why
It's one river that will never run dry
Yes, trust in God's love and you'll surely know why
It's one river that will never run dry
When you’re in the middle of a spiritual drought and feeling like a dried riverbed, why not open up your Bible and dive into the word of Christ. Not to analyze or increase your understanding, but just to soak in it. Receive it. Take it in. Be reminded of who he is and who we are in relationship to him, our Heavenly Father and Brother, with us and in us, by the Spirit. He’s promised us living water that will not run dry.