💧 Letting Go of Old Jars

By Tammy Rae – The Midlife Well

The Samaritan woman went to the well carrying her jar, just like she had countless times before. But when she met Jesus, something shifted.

“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’” – John 4:28–29 (NKJV)

She came for water. She left with living water.
And she left her jar behind.

That jar represents more than clay—it represents the things we cling to long after they’ve served their purpose.

🌿 What “Old Jars” Look Like in Midlife

For many of us, midlife is a season where God gently whispers: It’s time to put the jar down.

Our jars might be:

• An old identity (the caretaker, the fixer, the strong one who never struggles).

• A role that no longer fits (children grown, career shifting, ministry changing).

• A dream that didn’t unfold the way we planned.

• A wound we’ve carried so long it’s shaped who we believe we are.

The jar once had purpose. But now? It weighs us down.

🕊️ Why It’s So Hard to Let Go

We fear that without the jar, we’ll be empty.
We fear letting go means losing ourselves.
But here’s the truth: letting go creates space for what’s next.

Jesus didn’t ask the woman to fill her jar better or carry it longer. He offered her something better altogether—living water that would never run dry.

💧 How to Begin Letting Go of Old Jars

1. Name What You’re Carrying

Write it down. Speak it out. Honesty is the first step toward freedom.

2. Ask: Is This Still Serving Me?

Does this habit, identity, or relationship draw me closer to God—or keep me stuck in the past?

3. Release It in Prayer

Letting go isn’t a one-time act—it’s often daily. Every time the weight comes back, return it to Jesus.

4. Pick Up the Living Water

Don’t just empty your hands. Fill them with truth. Scripture. Prayer. Hope. Community.

🌸 A Midlife Prayer of Release

Jesus, I’ve carried this jar for so long. It’s felt like survival, but it no longer serves who You are calling me to be. Today, I leave it at the well. Fill me with living water. Remind me that I am not defined by what I carry, but by who carries me. Amen.

🫗 Final Thought

Leaving the jar doesn’t mean forgetting your past—it means walking free into your future.

Midlife is not too late. It’s the perfect time to set down what no longer fits and walk forward lighter, freer, and overflowing with living water.

Just like the woman at the well, your story isn’t over. In fact, it’s just beginning.