When a tree has a good root system, it reaches down and draws moisture and nutrients from an unseen source.
No matter what is going on above ground, this tree doesn’t live by those events…it thrives on what is under the ground, hidden.
Likewise, a well watered woman lives from her roots (not the hair kind).
Have you ever seen someone struggling with a severe illness yet full of praise and overflowing with good fruit? That is someone living from her root system. Or what about someone experiencing emotional pain, grief, or loss, yet still exudes the joy and gentleness of Jesus? That is someone living from her root system, not her situation.
I want a root system that nourishes my soul when the external circumstances of my life are dry. Scripture tells us we can live this way. “And she shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that yieldeth its fruit in due season.” (Psalm 1:3)
Jeremiah 17:8 says, “Even in a season of drought, she needs not be afraid…” Living from the right roots not only maintains our fruitfulness, it also calms our fears in difficult times.
As I’ve pondered scripture and visited and re-visited passages such as Matthew 5 and Isaiah 58, I’ve identified 5 key attitudes that living well watered require. These are “root” attitudes we can live by, regardless of age or stage in life.
Warning: These are counter-intuitive and counter-cultural, so be prepared to be UNCOMMON.
1. “I’m going to be generous… especially when I feel I can’t afford to be.”
This principles applies to time, affection, energy, love, as well as money. It is beautifully illustrated by the widow in II Kings 17. There was a severe famine and she was down to her last bit of oil and flour. (To make this practical, go ahead and think of what you are down to the last little bit of. )
This widow planned on making one last loaf of bread for herself and her son, then die of starvation.
When Elijah showed up, he asked her to use what she had to first make him a small loaf of bread.
Sorta crazy, right? But he promised her that God would provide an unlimited supply of flour and oil until the famine ended if she would give her last bit.
Reminds me of what God has promised us in II Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
When we give away what we can’ afford to give away, we open ourselves to received multiple times more. This principle is repeated over and over through out scripture and is essential to living well watered.
2. “I’m going to live vulnerable…even though others may scoff or take advantage of me.”
Women can be great at self-protection. We learn how to protect ourselves beginning very early in life. But the alternative to living vulnerable is living walled off. Over time, it leads to hardness. Then cynicism. Even to oppressive and mean behavior.
Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” This can apply to many types of mourning, but one way is those who allow themselves to be pained through their vulnerability. In other words, those who allow themselves to be hurt, who don’t self-protect or wall themselves off, those are the blessed ones.
The well watered woman has come to realize any wound or slight they receive from being vulnerable is preferable to being hard. Undoubtedly, some of you know what I’m saying and are beautiful for it.
3. “I’m going to guard my heart by protecting my ears from the world’s noise.”
The well watered woman has to know who NOT to listen to. In this day of information overload, we hear tens if not hundreds of different voices in any given day. It really is phenomenal.
Psalm 1:1-3 says, “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.”
To live well watered, we’ve got to make some tough choices about what we allow in our ears and in front of our eyes.
4. “I’m going to be a servant. This is what it means to be truly great.”
Wanting to be important is as old as time itself. Even godly people struggle with finding significance in all the wrong ways (think about the discussion that arose in the Upper Room amongst the disciples as the Lord was eating His last supper.)
Daily we receive messages and instructions on how to be great, garner attention, make a difference with our lives, and do something that matters. It is essential to daily renew the heart and mind with the words of Jesus, “Whoever wants to be great among you, be the servant.” (Mark 10:42-44)
{In case you didn’t know, He doesn’t lie.}
5. “I’m going to trust God to come through for me.”
This one is perhaps the most important one of all because our ability to live from each of the attitudes above depends on whether or not we really trust God.
Here’s the thing: whatever your need, the gospel purchased the provision for you. But if you don’t believe that, you’ll go searching for provisions in a thousand different places.
To be sure, God’s provision may not be the one we think we need. Which is another reason why we must trust. Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?”
Christ has purchased for us every provision we need. The well watered woman clings to this amazing truth, day in and day out, whatever need arises. Moment by moment our needs change…but God’s provision does not. When we learn how to live by faith in God’s grace, we’ll live well watered. Guaranteed.
Related Resource:
Perhaps reading through this sparked a desire for deeper trust in God.
Trust Without Borderswas written to journey alongside you in real, practical, vulnerable ways. It’s a journey to deeper trust and greater intimacy with God. Take the journey? Deepen your trust habit … and live well watered.
**Linking up with these lovely blogs.
Oh so good! Thank you for this one and it hits my “servant” word for the year!
Blessings Arabah, you are touching this woman’s heart! Thanks for the challenges!
Great article. Your comment was refreshing: “Warning: These (attitudes) are counter-intuitive and counter-cultural, so be prepared to be UNCOMMON.” Yet the picture you used of the girl in the VERY short skirt was not counter culture. Unfortunately, it’s becoming so common in our culture that Christians are not recognizing how immodest dress is offensive to God and to Scripture.
Kathleen, I understand the point you are making. I have cropped the photo to avoid causing anyone to stumble. At the same time, I think it important to understand that *immodest* is defined very differently for different people. It also varies greatly from culture to culture. I would not be so quick to define something as offensive to God based on your personally definition of modesty.
I feel that is one of the problems that any religion makes, is quick to judge. I’m actually over joyed that I came across this today, and I’m looking forward to having a closer relationship with God! Thanks for doing work for the Kingdom!! Continue to be blessed!!
this is so, so good. some of it I am doing okay in. some I need work on. Thanks, friend, for speaking this truth into my heart.
This is a beautiful post; thank you so much for sharing. I really like your graphic too (: Definitely going to pin!
:)
Be generous and vulnerable. This is what God has been teaching me this year. So necessary for our growth in Him, as His followers. Each of these are truths we need to grab hold of. Thanks for your wise words!
Coming over from the My Girlish Whims link up!
This is great! Thanks for all the awesome reminders! I have felt myself hardening off my vulnerability lately, so this really spoke to me!
p.s. I think the picture is cute! :)
Love this Arabah <3. Thank you for so many good truths to be reminded on and ponder. Continuing to be soft and vulnerable and not put up walls is an area I'm continuing to work on and need to be mindful of – thankful for His continuing work in us :).
This is excellent. I really appreciate your insightfulness. I especially needed #2 & 3.
I love this list and I’m glad I get to read it again. Trusting God to come through for us can be really hard – however, a good friend reminded me that we can always look back at how far we’ve come. For example, I can look back and say, “God hasn’t failed me these past 16 months. I can trust that He won’t fail me in the next 16 months, either.” All of a sudden, 32 months will have gone by, and I can trust God for the next 32 months. It was such a great perspective to take!
Also, turning our ears off to the world’s noise – that is a hard one for me. Because our writing has us on social media so much, it can be difficult to not get caught up in the noise, whether it’s news, things our friends are doing, etc. This has been a difficult thing for me. As a result, I’m trying to be intentional in narrowing my focus so as to not get wrapped up in things that will bring me down.
Thank you for sharing these great reminders for us! Blessings, sweet friend!
This is great. I love the analogy! #3 is so important. We really have to be careful of what we listen to or watch. All of the negative information takes up space inside us.
Thanks for sharing!
Found you through Missional Women, Fatih Filled Fridays. Your list is an astute collection for us women, anyone in fact though your examples are indeed women. Thank you forputting it together and sharing it. I plan to share with my teen daughters. Happy Weekend! Linda
What beautiful words of encouragement! It’s so true that while they might be uncommon by popular standards, God’s truth always rings with truth and calls us to a deeper fellowship with Him. It’s a blessing to find you through the Grace & Truth link-up. I’m following you on all social media now and look forward to reading more of what you share!
Your title intrigued me which is why I clicked on it through The Thrifty Home hop. I like number 5. God has never let me down!
I had to stop by from the Making Monday linkup party. These were words I needed to see today. Thank you for sharing!!
This is beautiful, encouraging, and uplifting.
I want to be that well-watered woman (man I love that term). I’m going to have to pray a lot over #2 and #3.
I’m pinning this to my Deliberate Faith board.
Thanks for sharing and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop.
Wishing you a lovely evening.
xoxo
Thank you so much for this insightful post and the truths that you have expressed in it.
I love this! I’m not a religious woman, but I have a ton of faith and this post really spoke to me this morning. I love your warning about being uncommon, it made me smile because that’s me! Sharing! Oh and I found you on the Mom 2 Mom link up from A Joy Filled Life :)
I love this. So beautifully written and well researched. I love your analogies and Biblical links :) Thank you for this post.
Absolutely. Once we put ourselves aside, it makes all of these {and life} so much easier to do. Funny how we’re our own biggest stumbling block.
This is overflowing with goodness! I loved every part of it. Thank you for encouraging me to be a more well-watered woman.
Wise words for us all. Thanks for sharing your fabulous post!
Hi Arabah, my favorite is #5 , I am going to trust God to come through for me.
Thank you for this list. Sometimes we need to let go of ourselves and let God
This is a good example of how I want to live! I will save this and refer back to it because, I have a tendency to be forgetful and don’t always do what I intend to do. My sister and I were looking for solutions to a challenge we share in common. Your list of 5 attitudes is the perfect solution to our dilemma! I’m happy that your online ministry caught my attention! Many thanks! I appreciate your outreach!
This was such a great read, number 3 is definitely one I need to work on. I keep remembering “Out of the abundance of the heart…” and trying to fill my heart with things that will cause me to bear fruits of the spirit. Thanks for sharing.
Good stuff here, my friend. Although I’ve “dropped off the map” I still pray for you often. How is your first semester going as a home educator? I’m praying for those unique challenges you’ll face. Your posts are as encouraging and Christ-focused as ever.
(((Hugs))),
Kerry
Thank you so much for this lovely post Arabah!
Blessed by these inspiring guidelines and exhortations :)
THANK you for these words of truth! This post is exactly what I need at this moment. It kind of helped me put life back into perspective, refocus and take aim at the right thing. <3
I needed to read this this morning. Thank you
Thank you for this great post, it was so inspiring to me today! It came up for me in my Pinterest feed. I blogged about my thoughts at http://modernproverbs31woman.com/2015/11/05/a-well-watered-woman/
This was a great article. Great insight on this beautiful Sunday!
I love this! I’m going to print out this whole page so I can put this in my prayer binder as a daily reminder!
I so needed this today. Living with continuous negativity in my life, but I am attempting to focus on being well-watered and determined to stay that way. Your website is a blessing!
Continue to allow yourself to be use of God. Great Article. I’m watered having read it.
Yes , we all need to be well watered especially during trials and conflict because that is when you show where your nourishment comes from thanks so much for these 5 :)
Thank you… this is exactly what I needed to hear today. You are a blessing.
Thanks for the reminder, we need “watering ” daily from the Source – amen
Thanks be to the Lord who waters us well and more than we can imagine thanks for these reminders
This is speaking right to me. Great biblical examples and scriptures are right on. Thank you for the refreshing.
Wonderful!!! Thank you for this :-)
Blessed beyond measure with this one! You are truly anointed, thank you for using your gifts to His glory :)
I can’t believe I ran across this post on FB tonight. It hit me to my core especially since my husband & I just received an unexpected blessing last night! We’ve been praying for months about several important things in our lives & isn’t it just like our Lord to answer prayers in a way we didn’t expect & more than we had even asked for! I want to continue to trust in God for my needs & have a deeper relationship with Jesus. I’m looking forward to becoming a Well watered woman.
Absolutely loved this devotional. Thank you for your love for Christ that you shared this. ❤❤
You are doing great for God. Be blessed. I will recommend your site to my wife. Your name Arabah in Africa Ghana means a Wednesday born.
God bless you dear sister I have learned over the years of my soon to be 45 years that God is always there and peaple are not they come and they go some leave an empact on our lives that is good others on the other hand don’t but God yes but God he empact us every day and I want that most of all
Thank you am blessed
Wow truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing and filling my spriritual cup.
I love this article so much. I had wondered, if I was living well watered. I am Deaf, it fits so well. Living well watered, as I do not pay attention to the news, the world, and I am able to focus on Jesus and God, as instructed. To be honest, many kept asking why he did not heal me of my Deafness or other silliness and now I can talk about my dream, but I can also say, “Jesus told me to live well watered.” Your article was written back in 2015, but please know even 3 years later – it is still a well thought out and an extremely well written article, thank you so much. I’m going to share it on my FB, saved it on my Pinterest, going to bookmark it, and going to write the verses out on paper. Again, thank you so much. Living well watered, I am blessed beyond my means. <3 Grateful for it too. <3 -Lisa-
Isn’t God so good! ❤️