Living Water - The Process of Purification
I remember being a small child, sitting in amazement as my elementary school teacher shared with us the process of the water cycle. I was in awe and wonderment as she described how a single raindrop went on an adventure—from droplet to puddle, to flowing into a stream, a river, an ocean, and finally evaporating, only to go back up into the clouds and begin again. Oh, how I wished I could be that raindrop, to go on such an adventure.
It reminds me of Jesus’ words in John 4:10, when He answered the woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
What I didn’t realize then was that we are—and will always be—on a journey of continual processing, purification, and serving by giving life to those around us. We are just like that water drop, which is eventually pulled back into the clouds, only to traverse down the mountain to be further filtered and refined.
What my teacher didn’t share, was that there are times when the droplet falls (like I did) and lands in stagnant bodies of water. We can choose to stall and share our space with those who choose comfort over growth, toxicity over healthy movement. We can become “smelly” and unhealthy for those around us—contaminated by external forces and polluted in our process. Though this water will eventually evaporate and go through the cycle again, the life it produces in the meantime is limited, often corrupted, and isolated from the greater flow.
It brings to mind the warning in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character,’” as well as the wisdom of Proverbs 13:20, which reminds us that if you want to grow in wisdom, spend time with the wise. Walk with the wicked and you’ll eventually become just like them.
In a healthy water cycle, a droplet slowly sinks into the soil to give life to the plants around it, gradually entering the watershed before flowing into rivers and streams. This process starts slowly and is hidden beneath the surface, but it is essential for removing contaminants before the water enters the flow where the pace quickens.
During this journey through rivers and streams, unseen microorganisms, fungi, and bacteria consume dissolved pollutants and extract excess nutrients, preventing toxic algae blooms. When the water slows down, suspended solids, heavy metals, and debris fall into the riverbed—naturally removing them from the flow.
Along the way, water seeps into surrounding banks, filtering as it moves through sand, gravel, and soil. As it is churned over rocks and plummets down drops, it absorbs oxygen from the air, encouraging aerobic bacteria to thrive and further break down chemical pollutants. Finally, the sun penetrates the water, using UV radiation to render waterborne microorganisms inactive or eliminate them entirely.
Today, I am reminded that it is in these unseen moments, in the seemingly small details, that our lives are refined, our character is developed, and our direction is chosen. We can choose to let go of old habits, release contaminants, and simply flow. This quiet choice and hidden development will lead us to move with our Creator on a journey of purification, becoming part of His body of life-giving water.
There will be times under the surface when we are pounded against the rocks, and the people around us remain completely unaware of the sifting. There will be times when the reward does not seem worth the effort. But oh, the reward when we consistently push through the process and wait on the Lord!
As Paul encourages us in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in.” We hold onto the timeless promise of Isaiah 40:31, that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.
How amazing it is that we have such a choice. What what was once a stagnant pond can start over and become something entirely different.
Someone who, as part of the body of Christ, flows with living waters, fulfilling what Jesus invited us into in John 7:37-38: “…Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
Let us take time today to flow with our Creator, meditate on how each seemingly invisible contribution to our process make all the difference - give thanks for the growth you have, and have yet to see. Speak life to someone today.