Let the Living Water In: A Heart Check Inspired by the Woman at the Well
“We’ll only know what the issue is once we get a good look inside…”
That’s what the well repairman told me as he explained the process for fixing our water issue. But if I’m being honest, those were the only words I truly heard.
Not because I wasn’t listening—but because his statement hit me on a deeper level.
Are You More Focused on the Outside Than the Inside?
It got me thinking:
How often are we externally focused?
Focused on what others think of us
Focused on the image we project—our homes, our cars, our clothes
Focused on doing and appearing “put together”
We get so caught up in the outside that we forget to check what’s going on inside our hearts.
The Woman at the Well: An Invitation to Go Deeper
In John 4, Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman who came to draw physical water—but He offered her something far greater: living water.
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” — John 4:13–14
Jesus saw past her surface. He saw her weariness—her hiding, her striving, her deep thirst for something the world could never satisfy.
And friend, He sees the same in us.
You Can Look Put Together and Still Be Empty
We can tidy up our appearance, post the perfect photo, say the “right” things—and still feel bone dry inside.
Because true filling doesn’t come from what we project on the outside.
It comes from Jesus—the Living Water.
Galatians 5:17 reminds us:
“The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit… they are in conflict with each other.”
The real battle isn’t what’s happening around us.
It’s what’s happening within us.
Beneath the Surface: What’s Really Going On in Your Heart?
Just like our well couldn’t be fixed by looking at the outside, our hearts can’t be healed unless we let Jesus go deeper.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23
What flows out of us—our words, attitudes, choices—starts inside.
That’s why we need to be intentional about what (and Who) we’re drawing from.
A Simple Heart Check for Today
So here’s your invitation:
Slow down.
Take a moment.
Where are you drawing from today—your own strength or the Spirit of God?
What’s weighing heavy beneath the surface?
Where do you need the Living Water to flow in and fill you?
Let Jesus meet you right where you are—just like He did with the woman at the well.
Because healing doesn’t come from simply identifying the issue.
It comes from letting the Healer in. 🤍
Meet the Author
Rasha Gardner
Rasha is a licensed mental health therapist and mama who knows that clinging to Jesus in the thick of motherhood is essential. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and children and does her best to soak up the sweet, fleeting days with her little ones.
She writes at @heldinthehard, a space (think online journal!) where gospel truth meets real life—motherhood, mental health, and all the in-betweens. You can also find her sharing mental health tips, hope, and encouragement over on her professional Instagram at @rashagardnercounseling.
