Obstacles to abundant life offered by Jesus come to us all. How we respond to them is determined largely by our perspective.

One of my favorite things is retreating to a quiet setting with a small group of women who love the Lord and want to know Him better. It is good to step away from the world as usual to gain perspective and renewed focus on our most important relationship.

In the weeks leading up to the retreat, as I prayed and prepared, the Spirit chose the subject of His living waters. We would explore focus points from John Chapters 4 and 7, where Jesus speaks of the streams of living waters that would flow into, and go forth from, those who drink of Him.

Meanwhile, the pastor’s wife who booked the location for our retreat knew nothing about the topic for the weekend. She made reservations for us us at a campground called Tres Rios — “three rivers” — so named because it was bordered on three sides by three different rivers! One of those rivers flowed just behind our cabin and down a gentle hillside. Our cabin was called Rio Casa — “River House.” I love the way God does “team.”

So on a winter weekend I gathered with a dozen women for a retreat in the Texas woods. As He often does, the Lord surrounded us with words and images to drive home the spiritual realities that were on His mind for us.

We had a glorious time there, fire blazing in the stone fireplace, Sitting around cross-legged on floors and couches, legs flopped over fat stuff chairs, Bibles open and the coffee going. Texas winter days can be quite mild and delightful.

We studied the Holy Spirit’s role with us, exploring what life is meant to look like when one is a child of God who drinks from His Spirit. As we relaxed together in the Lord’s presence over the weekend, confessions of weariness and wounds of the heart and spirit were revealed. In the Lord’s power and faithfulness we each experienced renewal and healing.

We were thoroughly refreshed there in God’s River House; some felt they could be forever changed. As we gathered on our final morning to worship the Lord, each of the women were radiant and lovely, full of new hope in the Lord’s love and goodness. As we went around the room and shared our “take-aways,” I rejoiced in their new joy.

Yet I knew from many retreat experiences what it would be like for these women to return home and step back into the very things they had needed renewal from. “Lord,” I prayed, “do not let the tiniest part of their time with you be robbed. Please establish them firmly in what you have given them hope in.”

The Holy Spirit then drew us outside for our final half hour together, in view and earshot of the river.

“Close your eyes,” said the Lord, “and just listen.”

Only one sound broke the quiet peace of the morning — the lively waters below us. While the flowing waters were smooth and silent both upstream and downstream from our cabin, a row of large rocks in the river right below us forced the water to bubble up and around and over, producing little rapids and happy notes. After we listened awhile, soaking up that soothing, playful sound, the Lord said,

“Notice, daughters, that it is the rocks that cause the river to make its music. Without the rocks there would be no sound.”

We opened our eyes and smiled at each other, thoughts racing and playing across our faces, as what He said sunk in. The bubbly life sounds of the river were only produced as the water flowed around the rocks, the OBSTACLES in their journey. In a collective “Aha!” moment we realized these rocks represented our troubles, wounds, afflictions, weaknesses or circumstances. The water only produces its special music when it washes over and around such obstacles in its determination to keep flowing towards its destination.

We left that sweet place filled with fresh streams of the Spirit’s life. We also committed to make more joyful noise to the Lord when His strength carries us over and around the rocks in our lives!