Wells 2

 

5 Surprising Truths an Ancient Well Can Teach You About Life

1.0 Introduction: The Thirst We All Feel

Have you ever felt spiritually dry? It’s a common feeling in our busy, noisy world—a sense of being stuck, tapped out, or just emotionally exhausted. We look for something to quench that inner thirst, but often come up empty. We feel like we’re wandering in a desert, hoping for relief that seems just out of reach.

In the arid landscape of the ancient world, a well wasn’t just a nice-to-have; it was the difference between life and death. It was a landmark, a meeting place, and the most potent symbol of divine provision. Today, that simple object serves as a powerful metaphor for finding the sustenance and purpose we’re all searching for. It teaches us that finding what we need is less about discovering something new and more about understanding where—and how—to look.

This article explores five surprising lessons from the ancient symbol of the well. Each one offers a profound piece of wisdom, drawn from scripture, that is deeply relevant to navigating the challenges of modern life.

2.0 The 5 Wells

2.1 The Well That’s Already There (You Just Can't See It)

In the ancient story of Hagar, a mother is cast into the wilderness, watching her son dying of thirst. She is overcome with despair, completely resigned to her fate. But the well that would save them was there the whole time; she just couldn't see it through her tears and panic. Her miracle wasn’t the creation of water, but the gift of sight to see the provision that already existed.

How often do we do the same? We are so focused on the empty "bottle" in our hand that we miss the "well" at our feet. We pray for a new solution or a new resource, convinced that we are completely tapped out. But often, the answer is already present—a latent talent we’ve overlooked, a simple solution we’ve dismissed, or a friend who has been standing by, waiting to help. Our greatest need isn’t for a new resource, but for new eyes to recognize what’s been there all along.

And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. — Genesis 21:19

This idea is so powerful because it shifts our focus from begging for a miracle "out there" to seeking the clarity to see the provision that is right here, right now.

2.2 The Well You Have to Re-Dig

When Isaac returned to the land of his father, Abraham, he found that the wells his father had dug—proven sources of life-giving water—had been filled in with dirt by his enemies. Instead of scouting for new places to dig, Isaac’s first job was to simply re-dig the old wells, clearing out the debris to let the water flow again.

In our own lives, the "Philistines" of bitterness, cynicism, and distraction are constantly throwing dirt into our wells of peace and spiritual connection. Maybe you once had a routine that brought you calm, like a morning walk or a time of quiet prayer, but your schedule filled it in. The lesson here is that you don't always need an innovative new strategy for well-being. Sometimes, the most effective thing you can do is reclaim what once worked by clearing out the clutter.

And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham... — Genesis 26:18

In a world obsessed with novelty and "life hacks," there is profound wisdom in realizing that progress can sometimes mean going back to basics and restoring the foundations that we know work.

2.3 The Well Where You Simply Wait

Imagine Moses, a fugitive who just fled from his life as a prince in Egypt. His past is gone and his future is a blank slate. He is, by all accounts, completely stuck. And what does he do? He sits down by a well. It’s a picture of where our human exhaustion meets God’s divine redirection. This well wasn't an endpoint; it was a meeting place. It was there that he met his future wife and began the next chapter of his calling.

We often view periods of waiting—unemployment, a transition, or a season of uncertainty—as wasted time. But this story reframes waiting as a purposeful pause. The well is the waiting room of life, a place where our own plans have run out, positioning us perfectly for a divine appointment we never saw coming.

But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. — Exodus 2:15

This perspective is revolutionary. It suggests that when we feel most stuck, we may actually be in the exact right place, waiting for a redirection that can only happen when we finally stop moving.

2.4 The Well That Requires Joy to Use

The prophet Isaiah speaks of "wells of salvation," a deep source of spiritual sustenance. But he includes a fascinating instruction: we are to draw water from these wells "with joy." The water is there, but getting it requires our active participation, and the tool he specifies is a joyful attitude.

This simple image holds a transformative truth. If we approach our faith as a chore, the bucket feels heavy. The effort of prayer, community, or reflection feels draining. But if we approach it with joy, the act of drawing water becomes refreshing in itself. The very effort of reaching for sustenance becomes strengthening.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. — Isaiah 12:3

This is a counter-intuitive truth for anyone who sees their spiritual life as a duty. It teaches that the attitude we bring to the task doesn't just make it more pleasant—it’s essential for the work to be effective.

2.5 The Well That Lives Inside You

In a conversation with a woman at a physical well, Jesus makes a radical shift. He speaks of a new kind of water that, once drunk, becomes an internal well "springing up into everlasting life." He moves the geography of our spiritual source from a place you go to, to a reality that lives in you.

This is the difference between relying on the world's cisterns and owning your own spring. When we depend on external sources for our peace and validation—like social media likes or career success—we are "renting" our happiness. These cisterns hold water, but they can run dry. It's like being connected to a public utility that can be shut off at any time. But when the well is inside you, it’s like having your own private, off-grid spring. External droughts like a bad economy or cultural turmoil cannot touch your internal supply of peace and purpose.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. — John 4:14

This is the ultimate answer to our spiritual thirst: a self-sustaining, internal source that is not dependent on the ever-changing weather of the world outside.

3.0 Conclusion: Tending Your Own Spring

The ancient symbol of the well is far more than a historical artifact; it is a profound guide for navigating the dry places of our modern lives. It teaches us to open our eyes to the provision we already have, to reclaim the practices that ground us, to find purpose in our pauses, and to approach our spiritual lives with joy. Ultimately, it points us toward the most reliable source of all: the one that springs up from within.

As you go about your day, this one question is worth pondering:

Are you trying to find "water" from external sources, or are you tending to the spring within?