Out of the Shallows: You Can Live Refreshed - Encouragement for Today - September 30, 2025

Encouragement for Today

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Crosswalk.com

Sarah Freymuth September 30, 2025

Out of the Shallows: You Can Live Refreshed
SARAH FREYMUTH

“but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14 (ESV)

An invitation came to lead a Bible study in the fall, but the season already had me stretched thin with family commitments, big writing deadlines, a job that included consistent travel, and more.

Could I add one more thing to my calendar? It probably wasn't the wisest, but the “doer” in me wanted to make it work.

A still, small voice inside nudged me to consider otherwise.

Isn’t this the struggle? When we are already close to capacity, running through all the scenarios for how we can do one more thing, we stay stuck in the shallows of our spiritual life. We struggle to find our rhythm, desiring a greater depth of faith but tired from the strain of our already overloaded hearts. We’re spiritually dry, longing for what will fill and replenish us.

In John 4, a woman with a desperate thirst met Jesus at a well. She went there to quietly gather water in her jar and be gone. But Jesus engaged her in conversation, leading her to take a deeper look at the water she was receiving.

Jesus offered what her heart had been longing for: living water. He said, “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

He revealed His identity as the Messiah, and a parched, lonely woman’s life was redeemed.

Will we take the water He offers? Jesus reaches into the deepest parts of us and cups His hands to give us a drink that brings life forever and cleansing from our sins. Refreshment is ours if we will only drink.

So how do we live refreshed? We spend time with Jesus by lingering with His Word, maybe as we linger with our morning coffee. We can also invite a few women to meet regularly and pray with us, seeking the Lord together. We can look for Him to show up in our day, whether in the words of a stranger or even the flight of a bird above us.

As our Living Water, Jesus can bring us deeper into the life we’re longing for. And once we tip that cup to our lips, we head straight into the deep end of His full, vibrant, everlasting waters.

We can stop skimming the shallows. We were made to quench our thirst in Him.

Let’s stay close to the fountain where His water washes over us again and again. As we embrace Jesus in full, we can also bring others to the source of eternal life.

Lord, I am parched and have a longing to be quenched. I thirst for You. My soul longs for You. I need to stay connected to the source of living water. Fill me with all You offer me, quench these parched places, and allow me to receive all You give. I look to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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ENGAGE

You can find more biblical encouragement from Sarah and download All Who Are Weary, a free devotional to calm anxiety, at her website. Also catch up with her on Instagram or Facebook.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Psalm 63:1, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (ESV).

How has your spirit been dry and in need of refreshing? Will you receive the living water Jesus longs for you to have?

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.