There is a great difference between a well and a spring. One is dug by man, the other made by God. Only God can make a spring. It comes from deep within the earth, or mountain, and never dries up or fails if it is a good one. 

God's spring is different from those on earth. His spring is an eternal spring. He has placed it within our soul. It is the gift of God, eternal life -- a life that will never fail (Jn. 4:14). 

Because we are His, and He lives within us, He calls us "a spring shut up" (S.O.S. 4:12). His life will never stop flowing into us and through us unless some "enemy" (sin, devil or the world) temporarily stops the flow. The Lord will remove that "enemy" though in His time and His way. His promise must be true. "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6). We shall never perish. 

As we follow the Lord through this wilderness we will have to drink from the wells of salvation. Some of the water will be very sweet and some very bitter. The wells will continually have to be dug, also, as our enemies will always be covering them over (Gen. 26:18). They don't want us to drink and live. The wells that are sweet are called Beersheba and Rehoboth (Gen. 26:22, 33). These names mean the well of the oath or covenant, and room. God now enlarges our hearts and understanding and makes room for Himself so that we may be fruitful. He does this because He has entered into a covenant with us in Jesus Christ. We are His people now and He will never leave us or forsake us (Jer. 32:37-41, Heb. 8:10-12, 10:16-23). 

The wells that are bitter are called Esek and Sitnah. These names mean contention and hatred (Gen. 26:20-21). The water from these wells is meant by God to conform us to the Lord's image, and it will, if we are His (2 Tim. 3:12, Jn. 15:18-20, Psa. 119:67,71,75). 

Dear Christian, if you are drinking bitter waters from these wells, please don't be as Naomi and call yourself "Mara," which means "bitter," and think that the Lord has dealt very bitterly with you (Ruth 1:20). Rather do as Moses did when he came to the bitter waters of Marah. He cast in a tree and the waters were made sweet. The Lord revealed Himself there as "the Lord that heals you" (Ex. 15:23-26). 

If you will do the same, casting in the cross of Christ, crucifying yourself with Him, you will find that all your bitter waters will become sweet -- bittersweet, because "to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet" (Prov. 27:7). 

Oh, may we all hunger and thirst after you Lord, for then we shall be filled with Your sweetness (Matt. 5:6, Eph. 5:2).