Let It Rain

"...he who waters will himself be watered." (Proverbs 11:25b NASB)

Do you ever feel like you are in a sort of "spiritual drought?"  I, myself, go through a dry season every now and again, and I am realizing that the cause always tends to be my circumstances the way I handle my circumstances.  All too often, I let my circumstances determine the fullness of my spiritual rain gauge.  When my circumstances lead me to--or are favorable for--spending time in the Word and in prayer, my rain gauge is full; but when my circumstances do not lead me to--or are not favorable for--spending time in the Word and in prayer (and I therefore fail to spend time in the Word and in prayer), I enter into a drought.

Sometimes when this happens, God, by His grace, allows a storm--a trial--to come my way (for certainly He knows that in times of trial I draw nearer to Him).  Other times, He sends another source of water:  a Brother or Sister in Christ who is joyful and strong in the Lord.  God recently used a couple such Sisters in my life to "water" me; and when I came away from talking to them, I thought to myself, "Wow, that was refreshing!" 

Proverbs 11:25b says, "He who waters will himself be watered" (or in the NIV, "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed").  I am so thankful for the people who are sources of water in my life.  I wonder if they realize how refreshing it is to be in their presence, where their joy and strength--the products of their own time spent in the Word and in prayer--are like water to the soul.