photo courtesy of http://www.dreamstime.com/
I usually pray during my walk/runs, so I started my requests in the usual way. "God, use me as I train for this half-marathon in May. PLEASE free those children and use the money we raise to bring more of them in out of the disgust and evil in which they are trapped. And, God please, You know that my family is hurting right now. Please, God. . ."
But I couldn't get any more words out. Like laryngitis in my soul, I was unable to express my heavy heart. I tried to pray for that painful family crisis. I tried to lay it all out plainly for Him to take. Again. But I couldn't. My heart just fell silent. My soul was tired. Like muscles fatigued after lifting weights. Or a four-mile run. And I could not get my heart to utter another word.
Please don't get me wrong. I love a quiet spirit. Quiet and calm in my inner being -- oh yeah, I am all about that. But this silence was different. Like some sort of expression that I needed to get out, but was unable. And it struck me with a feeling of the exact opposite of quiet and calm. It made me feel guilty and uneasy. But just as my loud thoughts and anxious spirit started to spiral downward, I heard a whisper in my soul. It said:
"Let's just walk together."
"Really, God? Don't you want me to lay my burdens down before you again? I mean, that's our routine when we walk and train. Shouldn't I keep praying? Shouldn't I keep searching for words?"
"No, Bria, let's just walk."
Because He knows my heart anyway. He knows . . .
And He just wanted to be my training partner today.
And isn't it the companionship that makes the training more bearable? In running. In life.
I love the stuff I learn when I hang out with God. Like today, when I realized that He not only loves me, He also likes me. Words or no words.
So today, I am unwrapping the gift of God's unendingly kind companionship. His always. No matter what. Come on over to Emily's Tuesday's Unwrapped McKlinky party at Chatting at the Sky. It's always such a great time.
11 comments:
And Christ intercedes for us when we don't have the words to say. Love this.
Oh, so true! Thank you, Southern Gal.
Thank you.
Reminders sometimes come along strange paths.
Thank you.
Just lovely.
God really DOES like us! And all we have to do is walk with Him, and obey Him.
This was really encouraging.
What a precious time with Him! Thanks for a lovely post!
He's my running partner too. That hour outside with Him never fails to be the best part of my day.
Thank you so much for wording it this way. Sometimes our hearts are too heavy to even say the words... but thankfully He knows our prayers before we even word them!
I just love it that He know exactly what we need and exactly *how* we need it, even better than we know ourselves. It is such a secure feeling that this life doesn't always have to be a rat race, you can just walk with God and get that breath of fresh air. I love this post!
I love this post. So well said and expressed. I am training for a half myself and want to hear that voice as i train as well. Perhaps I'll try a WALK tomorrow..
Praying you hear Him as you walk, Liberty...
This is really nice. Thanks.
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