I was talking to a buddy of mine just in the last couple of days about his desire to do a bit more walking. He was berating himself - because he has arthritis - for not being able to hoof along like he used to. That's when I imparted some of the knowledge I have learned on the subject: "In walking, it's not how fast you go, it's how far you go." True. (Hm, maybe that's the reason people start jogging, to go farther in less time. But it's hard on the knees! I think my friend is better off walking...)
For those of us who are unable to jog (heck, I am lucky if I can waddle!) the trick to walking is making the time to go as far as you can comfortably go. Every step is about three feet (well, for shorter people like me, that's two feet). So walking a mile, whether it takes ten minutes or thirty, still uses up the same amount of calories. And as long as the heart gets elevated up to a certain percent above normal (which can be accomplished by swinging the arms when you walk instead of walking faster) then it will do just as much good.
It's the same with developing and maintaining a relationship with God and with oneself (and eventually with others, as the first two get more healthy). The magic wand, the divine Zap ... very rarely happens. Usually it's slow and steady - and if you look at today compared to yesterday, it would be easy to get discouraged simply by virtue of the fact that you haven't covered that much distance since yesterday. Compare it to a year ago, or two, or three years - and there you have your measuring stick.
It's a journey of millimeters, day by day, hour by hour, sometimes even minute by minute. You hardly know a change is happening - but it happens nonetheless. One step at a time. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is take another step. But it's the next right thing - and somehow the strength is there because felt or not, God is right there empowering you. And when you get to a place where you can rest a bit - and THEN look back - the distance from the starting point is absolutely amazing.
And it leads to the next step, this time with a smidge more confidence. And then the next.
God is very near.
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| Source: (from Google Images) is http://www.southwaterfront.com/health_and_wellness/winter-healthy-talk-walk/ |
It's the same with developing and maintaining a relationship with God and with oneself (and eventually with others, as the first two get more healthy). The magic wand, the divine Zap ... very rarely happens. Usually it's slow and steady - and if you look at today compared to yesterday, it would be easy to get discouraged simply by virtue of the fact that you haven't covered that much distance since yesterday. Compare it to a year ago, or two, or three years - and there you have your measuring stick.
It's a journey of millimeters, day by day, hour by hour, sometimes even minute by minute. You hardly know a change is happening - but it happens nonetheless. One step at a time. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is take another step. But it's the next right thing - and somehow the strength is there because felt or not, God is right there empowering you. And when you get to a place where you can rest a bit - and THEN look back - the distance from the starting point is absolutely amazing.
And it leads to the next step, this time with a smidge more confidence. And then the next.
God is very near.
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