The Effects of Dehydration

In a typical week, my days move swiftly. The pace in my classroom is always fast, often hectic. Keeping my little people engaged and on task is a primary focus in my day. I expend a great deal of energy to keep things moving and I am on my feet a great deal of the day.

I adore what I do. Working with children enlivens me – but it definitely causes me issues when it comes to my physical well-being.

The biggest issue I have in the classroom is I get dehydrated. In my fast-moving day, drinking water gets forgotten. As I gather my things at the end of the day, I see my water bottle sitting on my desk – more often than not barely consumed.

If I pay attention, I see the effects in my body – dry skin, chapped lips, things like that. At times, the neglect of water affects me in a deeper fashion and serious headaches result.

It sounds so simple. Just remember to drink. Yet in the busyness of my day, a simple thing like consuming water goes by the wayside.

Sadly, the same can be true in our spiritual lives. Living water from Jesus is readily available – yet do we drink of it? We get caught up in the craziness of our days and that life giving water gets ignored or barely acknowledged.

Scripture originally speaks of that living water when Jesus meets a woman from Samaria. She is an outcast, having had multiple husbands and currently living with someone who is not her husband. She comes to the community well in the heat of the day, rather than in the early morning, so she doesn’t meet up with gossiping townsfolk.

When she meets Jesus, she is astounded. Firstly, Jews don’t associate with Samaritans. Secondly, a man doesn’t just start a conversation with a strange woman. Thirdly, Jesus knew everything about her and her situation.

For whatever reason, this woman opens up her heart and spirit to Jesus. She listens intently to what He has to say. But she is puzzled. Jesus speaks of living water. In her mind she thinks only of what that would mean in terms of not having to come to the well daily and face frustration and being ostracized.

When the woman asks where to get this living water, she hears this from Jesus:

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14 NIV)

Too often, life gets busy and we neglect our true source of strength – the living water from Jesus. Like me leaving my water bottle on my desk barely touched, we give a cursory glance to God’s Word from time to time, but do not drink deeply from it. This creates spiritual dehydration.

When we are not grounded in God’s Words, daily stresses magnify and our coping skills are depleted. We need the nourishment that only time spent with our Lord can bring. Prayer and worship are also a means to open up the floodgates of living water available to us.

I love the lyrics in Tasha Layton’s latest song “Worship Through It” –

“I know my God can do it So, I’m gonna worship through it Before I see my breakthrough I’m gonna choose to praise You I will sing hallelujah to the one Who can do what the world says can’t be done I know my God can do it So, I’m gonna worship through it”

This song talks about worshipping and praising God, BEFORE we understand what is going on in our lives. It is not about praising God when He has blessed us with some good thing. It is about praising God, no matter what happens and in every situation.

Jesus provides all that we need for an abundant life. Our lives are fuller, richer, and stronger when we drink from His living water and nourish our souls.

I pray that whatever you are facing this day that you will draw strength from the only One who can truly nourish you, now and into eternity. Rather than just seeking Him when things are tough, may your communication with Him be a daily occurrence. Praise and worship Him daily. That’s what will keep you from being spiritually dehydrated.

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