Jesus Meets Us in the Middle of Our Mess

​It had been one of those terrible days, the kind of day that drags on forever. A day I wanted to forget as soon as my head hit the pillow. “Just make it until 5 o’clock,” I kept telling myself. It was only noon and I still had five hours left until my husband walked through the door. 
 
I felt like I had already done everything I possibly could to make it to 5 o’clock. I used every trick in the bag. My bag was empty. And here I was at lunch time throwing up my arms in defeat.
 
I ran out of tricks.
I ran out of energy.
I ran out of words.
I ran out of everything.

Would my weary head ever hit the pillow?

My heart was so overwhelmed and my thoughts couldn’t keep quiet any longer. I surprised myself when I heard my tired confession. “I have nothing left to give you, Jesus!” I blurted out. That deep frustration bubbled up to the surface and forced its way out of my mouth.
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In my moment of overwhelming defeat, I felt incredibly vulnerable. I didn’t realize how hard I had been trying to manage my day. I didn’t realize how helpless I felt on the inside. I didn’t realize how tired I was. It wasn’t the end of my day yet, but it felt like the end of something. Like the woman at the well in the city of Sychar, which translates to “end,” I had come to the end of myself.
 
The Samaritan woman went to the well at the hottest part of the day to avoid seeing other people. And yet Jesus went out of His way to meet her. Jews did not associate with Samaritans. But still the Messiah spoke straight to her heart. In a moment when she least expected grace and mercy, she received both in abundance.
 
In my own “woman at the well” moment, God spoke to my heart. He reminded me that I don’t have to muster up strength to meet with him. I simply offer my heart and he meets me in my mess. He knows my weaknesses and shortcomings. And just like Jesus visited the woman at the well at noontime, He visited me at lunchtime when I didn’t know how I was going to get through my day or put food on plates. When I had nothing left, Jesus reminded me that his strength is sufficient in my weakness. His love and forgiveness for the woman at the well shows me that his love and forgiveness for me not only redeems me, but gives me the strength to keep going.
 
Jesus’ invitation to drink from the living water extends to every tired mother in the noontime hour or any other hour of need. Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle of sin or shame? Maybe your burden was so heavy that you went out of your way to avoid others? When we receive the living water, the Holy Spirit, we can be filled to overflow for our people. But it all starts with Jesus. Nothing inside of me is strong enough to make it to 5’oclock. It is only from His living water, the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39), that I can drink and not become thirsty.
 
Jesus knows us at our most vulnerable; He sees the secret parts and loves us more than we can fathom, just like the Samaritan woman. Not only does He see us, but He offers His Holy Spirit to fill us up. Do you need encouragement? Are you weary? Remind yourself of this powerful truth today. Jesus meets us right where we are! Yes, He meets us in our sin, shame, and self-defeat. He meets us at the end of ourselves, whether in the noontime or midnight hour, and offers the living water to sustain us.
 
The next time you feel like throwing your hands up in defeat, lift them just a little higher, look up to where your help comes from, and ask Jesus to give you a drink of living water.

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

About the Author

My name is Audra Powers and I'm a wife and stay-at-home mom to three young children in the high desert of Albuquerque, New Mexico. My hobbies include hiking, playing guitar and thrifting! I love writing about faith, family and motherhood.

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