Evident Signs of a Devoted Faith Walk

A close walk with Jesus should be evident to those around us.

I recently met a friend of mine for a lunch time walk. She commented on how much she liked my running shoes and asked me if they were new. I told her they were not. I think I have had them for about a year. She asked the brand and said she would have to try it because she has to get a new pair of running shoes every six months.

I laughed about that. I normally have to get a new pair of running shoes every January. The ones from the year before usually have become smooth on the bottom from use.  The truth is I have done very little running in those shoes over the past year. We adopted two new pups and we did some casual walking, but not a lot of running. The shoes still look pristine likely not because of the quality, but because they haven’t been used like they should have been.

A few days ago, I pondered that idea as I was actually using them as they were intended. On this side of Eternity, things tend to show wear with use. A child’s favorite toy will get ragged. Our favorite shirt will fade. Our favorite jeans will get a hole in them. And yes, our running shoes will wear out.

If we live long enough, our bodies will eventually wear out too.

However, wear doesn’t have to be a negative thing. A well used Bible should have highlighter marks and notes written in the margins. A prayer journal should run out of paper from all of the writing. Both can serve as maps for where we have been and where we are going. They remind us of God’s faithfulness in the past and the present. They can serve as hope for the future.

A good leather chair gets more comfortable with every passing year. Its marks and scars soften it and give it character. People of faith should be the same. The longer we walk in faith, the softer our hearts should become. We should become slow to anger and quick to forgive. We have made mistakes and have received mercy and grace. That should make it easier for us to offer them to others. Our hearts have inevitably been broken at some point and so we should be able to offer comfort to the brokenhearted.

With every passing year, the fruits of the Holy Spirit should become more evident in us because they are a guaranteed byproduct of a close walk with Jesus. If we are struggling with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, then maybe we need to lean in closer to Jesus.

The beginning of a new year tends to motivate people to go to the gym. Maybe it should motivate us to work on our faith walk too. A pair of pristine shoes reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂