Let It Flow

This year we had some real challenges with our water supply at Blairmore. We quickly realised that without water we wouldn`t get very far. How dependent we are on a reliable source of fresh water! Thankfully, the issues have been fixed, and we have more than enough water coming into the building to meet all our needs. Praise the Lord!

I thought that as long as the supply was sorted, there would not be much else to worry about water-wise. How wrong I was! I experienced just recently that, when drains are blocked, the problem is just as big. Despite all the fresh water coming in, if there’s an issue with the outflow, it`s still no good.

The spiritual parable is clear. When we feel spiritually dry, we might automatically assume we need more of the Holy Spirit coming in. That could of course be true. I have met many people who constantly give out to others but don’t always prioritise receiving for themselves. But what if sometimes it’s the other way around? What if sometimes we are spiritually dry because the flow out has been blocked - if our drains have become blocked, so to speak?

Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus promised rivers of living water. Rivers need to flow. He did not say “I’ll give you pools, or ponds, of living water”. He said: ‘rivers’. God wants to bless us with His Spirit and promises an endless supply of that spiritual liquid. But He also wants those blessings to flow. We are called to be a source of blessing to those around us. When we stop being a blessing to others, the flow of the Holy Spirit is hindered.

(This is similar to what Jesus taught us about mercy. He told us that God gives us mercy, but that when we choose against extending mercy to others, we will no longer be recipients of God’s mercy either. God is willing to bless us, but we can choose to stop that flow.)

Sometimes it is simply selfishness that stops us from blessing others. But other times it can be more complex than that. What if we have failed in some way and we now feel disqualified from ministering to others in Jesus’ name? Or what if we have become discouraged or doubtful that God can use us to bless others? What if we have become overwhelmed or simply ground down by life’s problems and have gone inward as a result? These kind of things may compel us to stop giving out. The enemy might use these struggles to convince us that we cannot or should not be a blessing to others. These issues can become the spiritual equivalent of blocked drains. God is still willing to bless us and pour His Spirit in, but perhaps we need to pray about unblocking at the other end. We may need to start giving out again, in faith that God wants to use us, so that we might be able to receive and experience more of His blessings again.

Let’s remember Jesus’ promised to give us streams of living water. Let’s pray that His river will flow through us!