Three Ways to Walk with God

Enoch walked with God. Wow. Wouldn’t that be an awesome thing to have said about you? Imagine future generations wandering by your tombstone and seeing these words emblazoned across its cold stone front:

She walked with God.

I am afraid I’m not the kind of gal that walks easily. In most anything, I’d rather run. I’m in a hurry, you know. Lots to do. Places to go. People to feed, clothe, shuffle, discipline and prod. Walking seems, well….slow. In my Type-A brain, activity is what scores points. I like a little action. Movement. Evidence some work is taking place.

Sistas, this does not make for a good walk with God. In fact, it almost renders it impossible.

To walk lock-step with someone takes concerted effort. You can’t just go at your own pace. You must keep your eyes riveted on their step; imitate their stride. And, most of all, you must let them set the pace.

In my own walk with God, I admit that more often it has been a race to set my own pace and then ask God to kindly keep up with me! And believe you me–it has gotten me into heaps of trouble.

So just what keeps us from walking with God and, more importantly, how can we learn to walk with Him? Well, I have lots of answers to the first part of the question. I’m counting on the rest of you to help me with the second part here in the comment section.

What hinders our walk? 

Impatience.

In our fast paced society, we don’t like to wait for anything. Fast food restaurants certainly know this.  In fact, after waiting just 30 seconds for their order to be taken, most people become angered. Unfortunately, this impatience spills over into our walk with God. We don’t like to wait for answers. We don’t like to wait for direction. We don’t like to wait to see change. We just plain don’t like to wait!!!! But do you know that when we learn to wait, it doesn’t just benefit us, but it encourages other believers as well?

Psalm 40: 1-3

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.

  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, 
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

  He put a new song in my mouth, 
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

Patience. We need it to walk with God.

Okay, obstacle #2.

Fear.

We fear God won’t come through. Or that He won’t answer in the way we want Him to. Or maybe that He hasn’t thought of the same wonderful solution we’ve thought of. Or we fear He will forget us. Or that He’ll ask something of us that is simply too hard. Yes, fear rears its ugly head all over the map. But walking with God and walking in fear are incompatible. I know. When fear is ruling my life, I am not walking with God. And when I truly walk with Him, fear disappears!!!!

This is something I have been struggling with BIG TIME lately. My husband was laid off from General Motors on Christmas Eve and doesn’t expect to be called back due to low seniority. With a mortgage to pay and five mouths to feed, let me tell you fear knocks on my door every morning even before I get out of bed! Here is a new couple of verses I am working on memorizing to help kick out fear and worry:

Isaiah 41:9-10

I took you from the ends of the earth, 
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

 So do not fear, for I am with you; 
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Fear. Let’s let faith get rid of it.

Next we have……

Control.

Any other card-carrying members of Control Freaks Anonymous out there? I’ll bet so. There isn’t much to say about this except that there can be only one boss. Hint, hint…….it isn’t you! Need proof God is God and you are not? How about this:

Psalm 40:4-6 

Blessed is the man 
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods. 

 Many, O LORD my God, 
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t cause any ‘wonders’ to happen. Not even many ‘wonderful’ things. And even if I do, they are easy to count! God’s wonders are ceaseless. Too numerous to count!!! When, oh when, will we let Him take control and quit trying to run the show ourselves?

How can we learn to walk with God?

Now, on the flip side, what actions can we take that will help us begin to walk with God?

Memorize scripture and let its truth sink in deep.

This is one of my current goals. It hit me hard one day not too long ago that I can memorize entire 15 minute monologues for drama, but in comparison, I memorize very little scripture. Surely hiding God’s word in my heart and speaking it from my lips strengthens my walk with God.

Have an accountability partner. 

My friend Mary is my lifeline. I have given her the right to speak truth to me, even when it isn’t pretty. Yes, sometimes it ticks me off, but I have grown so much as a follower of Christ by having her shoot straight with me. Usually her words are encouragement, but she also provides the oft’ needed ‘kick in the pants’ to get me back on track and headed in the right direction. Oh, and I have kicking rights to her too!!!! The Christian life wasn’t meant to be a solo flight. Find an accountability partner. Not a chatting buddy. Not someone who will give you a ‘poor baby’ and take your side every time you and your hubby (or co-worker) have a spat. Find a godly truth-teller. Pray for each other and speak the truth in love.

Learn from saints of the past and present. 

We can learn much from faith-filled Christians of the past and present who walked with God. Go online or pick up a biography about George Mueller, Dwight L. Moody, Amy Carmichael or Jim Cymbala. Or brush up on stories about John Bunyan, John Wesley, Bill Bright or Billy Graham.

Okay, now it is your turn. What helps you in your walk with God? Or, what hinders you?

Sweet Step-takin’ Blessings,