Keep Walking

 

By Andrea Merrell

We were weary. It became hard to put one foot in front of the other. But our destination was just ahead. With determination we kept walking.

Walking is not only good for our physical health, it’s essential for our spiritual well-being. This is what the Bible says (NKJV):

• We walk by faith. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
• Walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)
• Walk in love. (Ephesians 5:2)
• Walk in the light. (1 John 1:7)
• Walk humbly. (Micah 6:8)
• Walk uprightly. (Proverbs 10:9)
• Walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:4)
• Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. (Ephesians 4:1) The MSG puts it like this: In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do … get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

It's easy to see that the Christian life is a walk—a walk of faith. It’s not sedentary or a sprint. It’s a matter of moving forward toward our goal one step at a time, one day at a time, never falling behind or jumping ahead.

When you feel weary, ask the Lord for strength, then keep walking. He will sustain you and keep you on the right path.

(Photo courtesy of Unsplash and Sebastian Goldberg.)

TWEETABLE

When you feel weary, ask the Lord for strength, then keep walking. He will sustain you and keep you on the right path. via @Andrea Merrell (Click to tweet.)

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Don't Push the Hot Button

By Andrea Merrell

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Romans 12:18 NLT

I shouldn’t have said it, but it came out anyway. It was one of those statements that pushes every hot button and sets an argument into motion. Once the words were uttered, there was no way to take them back.

When would I ever learn?

Why do we do that … especially when we know how destructive hateful words can be to a relationship?

Marriage, friendships, and family interactions take work. We have to choose to overlook the faults and shortcomings of others, just like we want them to do for us. How? By putting their needs and feelings above our own and avoiding conversations that breed conflict, anger, and resentment.

The Bible instructs us to walk in love, forgive when wronged, and to live in peace with others as much as possible. That’s a tall order, but God will give us the grace we need to follow His Word if we’ll just ask.

And another thing … stay away from those hot buttons.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/Stuart Miles.)

TWEETABLES

How do you resist pushing the hot buttons? via @AndreaMerrell (Click to Tweet.)

God will give us grace to walk in love, forgive when wronged, and live in peace with others. (Click to Tweet.)

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