The Well That Never Runs Out
— Celeste Gonzales
He is still the Well that never runs dry
The only difference between a pit and a well is that one is empty, while the other has life-giving resources. We first discover the city of Dothan, situated in northern Israel, in the book of Genesis, where the tragic plot to kill Joseph was birthed. Joseph, one of twelve brothers, was beloved by his father and loathed by his brothers.
One seemingly ordinary day, Joseph set out in obedience to his father’s request to check on his brothers who were tending the flocks. They were supposed to be in Shechem, but they had traveled some 15 miles north to Dothan; a detour that would forever change Joseph’s life.
Fueled by jealousy over Joseph’s favored position with their father, his brothers plotted to kill him. But instead, they threw him into a pit. Here’s the striking part: Dothan means “a place of two wells.” A powerful reminder that no matter where we find ourselves in life, we still have a choice.
Joseph’s brothers had a choice. They could have chosen to sit at a well with refreshments in hand while sharing honest conversations to work through their differences. But instead, they chose the emptiness of a pit; a dark place of bitterness and betrayal.
Ironically, it was Joseph, the one who was actually in a pit, who chose to live as if he were drawing out of a well that never runs dry. He forgave them. He chose to not blame others for where he was in life; instead, he succeeded despite his placement.
God is our source, a true oasis in dry places. So when the bitterness of life tries to take over, God is the one who waters our souls. Yes, we all feel anger, but the Source tells us “to be angry and sin not.” Proof that it’s possible to experience real emotion without long-term regret. God can even reach into the root of that anger and produce something completely different: an oasis of joy.
Do you think Joseph was angry that his brothers plotted to kill him, threw him in a pit, and then sold him into slavery? I would be! We don’t know exactly what he felt, but we do know what he did. He let God tend to the broken places.
He allowed the Source to water what felt dry. And because of that, every setback became a setup. Every choice to stay connected to the Source brought life, strength, and provision to sustain his journey to his God-given dreams and destiny.
Maybe you feel stuck in a dried-up pit you can’t seem to get out of. But, you have a choice, and your hope is not misplaced in Jesus (who, by the way, was often found meeting people at wells and radically changed their lives).
God will meet you where you are. Turn to Him. He is still the Well that never runs dry.