Are you tired of your life being dry, confused and without direction? Are you weary of having to strive for everything in life? It may be because the river of life inside of you is stopped up.
God’s Gift of Life
Deep inside each of us, there is a river of life. This river is a wonderful gift given to each of us by God. It flows with good health, a positive outlook on life, and a generous and forgiving attitude. Ideally, this river flows freely through us. When we allow this flow and keep our “well” from getting plugged-up, there’s a peace or an ease—a current that takes us along—and everything seems easier. Good things come our way. When wonderful opportunities are presented to us, we’re ready for them.
It also refreshes, renews and revitalizes our lives. I’m sure all of us have known people from time to time who defied all logic and stayed alive years longer than they should have. Or you may have known people who’ve been able to keep a positive outlook on life even though terrible things happened to them. Their river ran strong and didn’t stop flowing.
When the Well Gets Clogged
On the other hand, there are those who always seem to be down, whether physically or emotionally. No matter what they do, they can’t seem to “snap out of it.” Their river has been stopped-up, and only a little trickle seems to pass through.
Many people, however, have allowed their well to become stopped-up. They are always discouraged, and no matter what they do, they can’t seem to snap out of it. Years of neglect have turned a once power flowing river into a small stream. Everything’s hard—nothing comes easy. People with a stopped-up well have to strive for things that come easily to others. It’s as if they’ve become mired in a mud hole and every step is a struggle. Do you know people like this? Does this sound like your life?
Discovering My Clogged-Up Well
I once had a stopped-up well in my life. I struggled to tap into the river that I knew was in me. I was constantly digging dry wells—working on projects and chasing ideas that were disappointing and unfulfilling. I believed that if I could just make something work, I would be happy…that I would find peace and fulfillment. I would strive after these things every day, but never found the peace I was looking for. I found that over the years I had allowed my well to become stopped-up with “stones” and “debris.” The river no longer flowed freely, and I was miserable.
Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I really struggled with issues like unforgiveness, anger, selfishness, offense and disobedience. These issues became like stones, dirt and debris that had caused my well to become stopped-up. With God’s help, these issues are being dealt with one by one in my life. It’s been a long process, but the stones are much smaller today than they used to be. The river in me flows much stronger now.
Unclogging Your Well
Just remember, until you’re able to get your well cleared out and unclogged, everything will be difficult, disappointing and unfulfilling. No matter what you try, you’ll be unable to taste the water from that river. And that water satisfies like nothing else.
Tap into that stream by clearing up what blocks its flow.
God can help you forgive, see the needs of those around you, and let go of past hurts or wrongs. He wants to help you deal with the “stones” and “debris” that are stopping up your well.
Make a choice today to stop spending your life fighting, struggling and trudging through the mud with every step. Stop taking inventory of what you’ve lost, and take a good look at what you’ve got left. Ask God to help you clear out the debris. Then enjoy the satisfying flow of the river of life!
Joyce Meyer Ministries, joycemeyer.org
