12 When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. 13 He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. 14 He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. 15 So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham.
16 Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.”
17 So Isaac moved away to the Gerar Valley, where he set up their tents and settled down. 18 He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham’s death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had given them.
19 Isaac’s servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water. 20 But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means “argument”). 21 Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means “hostility”). 22 Abandoning that one, Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time, there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth (which means “open space”), for he said, “At last the Lord has created enough space for us to prosper in this land.”
When can a guy catch a break? It can feel like everywhere you step, there is a steaming pile of poo. Most of us are good-hearted people, and when life throws a curveball, we deal with it and move on. It is when life throws a curveball, then a fastball, then a sinker, and you strike out, that we start to lose it.
Isaac knew that feeling. Living in Philistine country under King Abimelech, he followed in his father Abraham’s footsteps by planting crops and digging wells, and the Lord blessed him with an abundant harvest. But his good season did not last long. Abimelech kicked him out because he had become too wealthy, and the Philistines filled in all of his father’s wells. Isaac moved on, dug new wells, and each time someone claimed them. He named the first well “argument,” the second “hostility,” and walked away from both.
Instead of fighting, Isaac kept moving and kept digging. When he dug a third well, l and no one disputed it, he named it “open space,” because he finally found a place of peace where his family could settle. Only after Isaac rested there did Abimelech come to him seeking a treaty, and Isaac’s servants discovered water in a place no one else had found before.
If this sounds like your life, you are not alone. Maybe work has felt like nothing but argument, hostility, and being passed over while others get ahead. Isaac shows us that sometimes faith looks like moving on without bitterness and trusting God to bless us even in dry places. Keep digging with a smile, knowing the Lord is with you. The open space you are looking for is coming, and you may even see former enemies come to make peace with you.
Prayer: Father, help us remember that You are in the middle of the chaos. In rejection, arguing, and hostility, You are leading us toward a place of blessing. Help us keep our joy in You, our strength, and trust You as we keep moving forward. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let It Go 
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