It’s a terrible cycle. I wake up to use the restroom – but then, I’m INCREDIBLY THIRSTY, so I drink a ton of water . . . then I wake up to use the restroom again . . . and, you know the rest.

It occurs to me that this cycle could be slightly less prevalent should I drink enough water during the day. Coffee – that I drink a lot of.

I read that being thirsty isn’t an indication of it being time to take a drink, but PAST TIME. When our brains tell us we are thirsty, it’s because the water volume in our bodies has already dropped below a certain threshold – or when we eat too much salt . . . but listen, McDonald’s fries are a thing of beauty . . .

In my experience, there are 2 types of people when it comes to drinking water:

1. Water Bottle People – You bring your water bottle with you EVERYWHERE. You slowly and methodically empty said water bottle into your body and repeat all day long. Like a responsible adult.
2. The Gulpers – Are you with me? I forget to drink water until I am insatiably thirsty. I grab the biggest cup I can find and fill it to the brink. I then chug that cup in mere seconds – and repeat as necessary until I no longer feel thirsty.

The issue is hydration.

If you are a water bottle person, you likely very rarely experience thirst – because the volume of water in your body never drops below the threshold . . .

Your brain has no reason to tell your body you are thirsty if you have no deficiency . . .

Thirst is a failsafe built in to warn you of a problem.

There is a story in the Bible about a thirsty woman. She is at a well to draw water and her life is a mess. Jesus shows up, unannounced and inconveniently, and asks her to draw him some water – then he offers to give her water – she is confused, understandably. 

She gets all practical because Jesus didn’t bring a bucket . . . and he says this to her:

“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” –John 4:13-14 (NLT)

She responds how you would respond – GIVE ME THAT WATER. I don’t want to collect the water every day at the well – I don’t want to carry around this water bottle – I’m sick of GULPING and CHUGGING . . .

I feel like I’m either thirsty or drowning. And we both know we feel the same way about our spiritual lives.

Once you’ve experienced the LIFE-GIVING, THIRST QUENCHING Spirit of God at work within and around you, it’s hard to get enough. You know what it feels like to be satisfied, so you want more.

Or maybe you’ve not experienced Jesus and you feel parched, dry, desperate to taste the Goodness of God – for it to sustain you like water for your soul.

We are thirsty. The woman at that well was thirsty. Jesus offers us water that will make us never thirsty again.

Thirst is a failsafe – BUILT IN – to warn you of a problem.

The problem is our forgetfulness to drink the water. Our failure to come to the source of true life and receive what God wants to give us.

Thirst is abated by discipline. We think it’s romantic to be SO IN NEED OF something that we are desperate. But, to be thirsty means there is a lacking. Being spiritually thirsty isn’t an indication of it being time to receive from God, but PAST TIME.

Jesus offers us a bubbling spring within us, sourced by Himself, that will never run dry. God promises us life – lacking nothing.  

Just like my water bottle friends rarely experience physical thirst – we, as followers of Jesus have access to the Spirit of the Living God who will satisfy our soul at every moment of every day.

It’s not about never needing a drink of Living Water again – it’s about never wanting to stop receiving it. Jesus promised that we who DRINK his Living Water will never be THIRSTY. We have to drink it. You have to drink it. 

You don’t have to be thirsty. 

Go to the source. Take a drink. Stop and listen. Read. Trust. Pray. Every day – all throughout your day. Receive the life Jesus wants to give you.

God will not let us run dry when we allow the Source to well up within us.