Weary? Come to the River

Ever been in the desert? That was exactly how my heart felt: dry, coarse and brittle, desperately in need of water. Even just one drop.
Apparently I looked like I was all put together on the outside since no one was rushing to my aid. But I was dying of thirst, and at any moment I knew I might spiritually and emotionally faint.

Where was God? Hadn’t He had told me He was right by my side and would never leave me? Then why couldn’t I feel Him anymore?

Step, crunch. Step, crunch. Nothing but sand.

What I didn’t know was that I had a choice to make as I walked through that horrid desert. The Living Water was actually always within reach, but I had to choose to enter it. I had to force my dry, almost-dead heart to bow down in worship. I had to humble myself before God and lie down as low as possible. I had to ask Him to fill me up. I wish it hadn’t taken such pain to make me realize the solution… After I had done all I knew to do, I lay down flat on my face and cried out to God. Mostly I just cried. I poured out all the aches and pains in my heart as an offering to Him because I didn’t have anything else to give.

I didn’t totally understand it, but in a split second, He took all the heavy burdens I had been carrying—all the soul-ache and confusion—and He gave me treasures in return. Treasures like peace, contentment, hope, laughter…and best of all, a full heart that was overflowing with Living Water. The Holy Spirit filled me up.

Because you are a strong woman and mama, you can accomplish a lot. You are smart and capable. You can do a million things at once and do them well. But without the ongoing filling of the Spirit, you will dry up and burn out. Don’t let it go that far! Choose to make regular stops in the River and ask God to fill you up. His goodness and faithfulness will keep filling you over and over, every time you ask. His power can be released in you (and through you) when you are full of His Spirit. When you are full, you start to experience the “nothing is impossible” part of who God is in your everyday life.

Will you go down to the River and be fully immersed in Him? All you have to do is come to Him with faith, believing that He is a giver of good gifts. Open your heart to receive and ask Him to fill you up.

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God.” Psalm 42:1

“For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:9

“If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:10

Do you need to be filled up? What are you waiting for?

{Photo used courtesty of Creative Commons}