Watching the results of a localized drought on my garden, in the few stolen moments managed between work demands and personal responsibilities, I found my mind drifting to a favorite psalm, or rather two favorite psalms about a thirsty soul.
A soul truly thirsty for God will not stop searching for Him no matter the chaos, demands or nagging nature of daily moments.
In the dry seasons of my own spiritual life, I marvel at the times Jesus offers me the water of life so necessary for my soul, but instead I prefer to look elsewhere for refreshment.
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
A psalm my thirsty soul knows by heart. Yet on a recent journey along a hard and dry path, I realized how often the stagnant waters of the world had lured me aside for false comfort, leaving my thirst unsatisfied.
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”
My soul felt much as the psalmist describes: dry, wilted, parched, dead like the plants in my garden. The result perhaps of a distancing from God, an isolation from the “rivers of living water” (John 4:10-14)
Life brings droughts. Droughts spiritually, financially, relationally; drying and shrinking our soul’s capacity for endurance in suffering. Ultimately, ending in a kind of spiritual death apart from Christ.
Reflecting on the drought damage in my garden brought the realization of my own tendencies to pull inward as a means of protecting myself in times of trial.
A trauma response learned over the years pushes me into isolation not only as a form of protection, but as a means to regulate my emotions and “figure things out”. Yet sadly, this rarely includes God.
And so, the keen longing for God the psalmist shares beats in my own heart, while at the same time fear prevents me from going to Him. Because all those years ago I did not know God and had no one else to draw near in my suffering.
But that is no longer true, my soul knows where to find the living water so necessary for its life especially in times of drought.
As God moves me closer to healing, He also moves me closer to Him, allowing me to experience thirst in times of drought. For to feel longing for Him in times of need is to know I have Hope.
As the psalmist moves from thirst and longing to Hope and gratitude for God’s deliverance, so my soul moves a timid step forward into the refreshing waters of God’s abundant love and mercy.
Is your soul thirsty today? Draw near to the One who gives freely to all who come to Him.
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You are right, Donna; only He can satisfy our spirit thirst and soul longing. May He continue to refresh you in His Presence. Sending you a big hug and lifting you up in prayer.
Lisa, thank you for your kind words, hugs, and prayer!! I praise God for His living water sustaining our lives in the dry seasons!
This post caused me to look out at our extremely dry grass in our yard. I am so grateful my soul now knows where to look for living water when life becomes challenging. It took time but I am learning, and go more quickly to Him. I am also learning that the quicker I go, there is less drought damage which occurs. May we keep coming to the fount which will never run dry! Blessings, sweet friend!
Joanne, we have had quite a drought around here, and I know our souls can become just that dry too! But yes, praise God we can find refreshment in God’s living water! I am also learning to seek that living water more quickly!!