The Walk of a Lifetime

God wants His children to progress spiritually one step at a time.

By Karen Barrett

I like to walk. It doesn’t take much to persuade me to ramble up the block to the neighborhood park and back home by way of a nearby bike path. A stroll along the quiet road near our cabin in the country is always enjoyable. A walk on the beach with the surf crashing just a few feet away from my footprints in the sand may be the best of all. No matter what my surroundings, though, my walks always have three things in common: they have a starting point, they require sustained effort, and they take me from one place to another.

I can sit in my house and ponder going for a stroll, but that isn’t a walk. I might put on my walking shoes and jacket and even open the back door, but that still isn’t a walk. Until I step out on the porch, descend the steps, and start down the driveway, I’m not really taking a walk. In the same way, people may think about becoming a Christian someday. They may “put on” the things that they associate with a Christian life—attending church, reading their Bible, doing good deeds—but until they turn their lives unreservedly over to God and experience the new birth, they have not stepped into the way toward eternal life. There can be no spiritual progress, no growth, no development of Christian character until they have received the spark of Divine Life and “all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The key is to advance

The dictionary defines the word walk as “to advance or travel on foot at a moderate pace.” The word advance is the key. If I stop at a nearby McDonalds for lunch, I may satisfy my hunger pangs, but I am no longer advancing. If I stretch out on the grass in the park for a snooze or sit down on the bleachers to watch the neighborhood kids play softball, I am no longer on a walk. Walking requires continued effort, not just a momentary burst. And anyone who has been a Christian for very long will tell you that our spiritual walk requires continued effort!

It’s not hard to find articles in current magazines and fitness-oriented publications that proclaim the benefits of walking and give detailed instructions on how best to go about it. As I pondered our walk with God, I went to the “Instruction Book” which has been provided for us. There I found not only the benefits of walking in this way, but also an amazing number of specific guidelines. We are told that we are to walk in the fear of God (Nehemiah 5:9), in truth (Psalm 86:11), with a perfect heart (Psalm 101:2), in the Law of the Lord (Psalm 119:1), in good works, (Ephesians 2:10), in love (Ephesians 5:2), as children of Light (Ephesians 5:8), circumspectly (Ephesians 5:15), and in wisdom (Colossians 4:5). At first, that list may seem overwhelming. Is it truly possible to live up to these guidelines? I had to stop and ask myself: Would God instruct us to do something that is not possible? The answer is simple—of course not!

Not in our own strength

An important lesson I’ve had to learn is that we cannot walk this way through our own efforts or willpower. When we attempt to do so, more often than not, we fail. The secret to success is found in Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” The four words, “Not I, but Christ,” have replayed themselves so often in my mind that they’ve almost become a motto. Through a wide range of minor “abrasives” to major crises, the Lord has reinforced this point: I must not try to accomplish in my own strength what should be turned over to Him. God didn’t design me to handle it, but rather, He designed me to be something He could work through. Thus, “Christ in me” is the answer to accomplishing what He would have me do, though it seems (and is) impossible in my own strength.

Guard against hindrances

As I continued my comparison of physical walking with spiritual walking, it came to mind that weariness, physical limitations, time constraints, or countless other reasons may halt a physical walk. However, we must guard against anything that would hinder our spiritual progress. God longs for us to have a continuous experience of deliverance, fellowship, and communion with Him, but the enemy of our souls has plenty of deterrents! And self is at the root of most of them. Self-indulgence, self-righteousness, self-interest, self-justification, self-pity, and countless other forms of self-love are among the stumbling blocks he’ll try to put in our way.

Christ pointed us in the opposite direction when He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself . . . ” (Matthew 16:24). If we are determined to follow Him, we must turn away from asserting ourselves, indulging ourselves, or commending our own righteousness. We cannot put our own interests ahead of others, justify ourselves when criticized or ridiculed, or pity ourselves when trials come our way. Is this possible in our own strength? Once again, the answer is no. Once again, the only solution is to cry out to Christ who dwells in us to help us die to self. Then He will live out the right attitudes through us.

Stay sensitive to the Spirit

Continuing progress in our Christian walk means continuing to take steps. God is faithful to put them before us. I’ve found that as I learn and respond correctly to the light given in each lesson, He gives light for another. Perhaps learning to be sensitive to the Spirit of God is one of the most critical aspects of our Christian walk. In Isaiah 30:21 we read, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” How careful we must be to pay instant heed to the Spirit! When God speaks, we must obey. We must be very careful not to disregard His instructions, for if we do, His Voice may well be fainter the next time. If we continue to excuse an action that He has “checked” or to justify our behavior, we will eventually deaden our sensitivity to the Spirit so we cannot hear anything from Him. Spiritual receptivity is not a gift to be lightly esteemed!

A hike through the woods or even a brisk walk along a city street requires watchfulness on our part. Is the trail rough in spots? Is the traffic heavy in a particular area? It doesn’t pay to become oblivious to our surroundings—that could be dangerous! In our spiritual lives, God would have us be watchful for His warnings. He is always ready to forewarn us of approaching danger from our spiritual enemy. God’s amazing love and concern for us is reflected in His attention to the minutest details of our lives. It pays for us to note that a warning neglected is the first step in a fall. We need never be taken by surprise if we obey the warnings He gives to those who are watchful.

Lay aside the encumbrances

One time when walking isn’t pleasant is when you are carrying a heavy weight. I remember those days of packing an “almost toddler” around in my arms and finding every step an effort. Recently my now-teenage son had to walk several miles from his school to another location, carrying a gym bag full of books and other paraphernalia. His complaints of aching muscles the next morning brought a flashback to the days when he weighed about as much as that loaded gym bag! God would have us proceed on our spiritual walk unencumbered by things which will weigh us down and impede our progress. We are encouraged in Hebrews 12:1 to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” in order to continue on in the course set before us.

While walking alone may be some people’s stroll of choice, my opinion is that the best kind of walk is a walk with the one you love best. That is one of the blessings we are assured of in our spiritual walk. God promises that He will always be at our side. His promise is, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

Our Christian walk may lead us through valleys, we may have to scale high hills, we may face obstacles and obstructions, we may be subject to attacks from the enemy of our souls, and we certainly will need to expend energy, determination, watchfulness, and endurance.

Yet, the end of our Christian walk, if we persevere, will be worth it all!

Karen Barrett is Office Manager at the Apostolic Faith Church International Headquarters in Portland, Oregon.