Learn to Be Alone预览

Walk the Path

You’ve named your intention. Name it again. Tell God why you’re here. Now, it’s time to walk. Seriously! Get up and move (if able). As you walk, mull over your request, question, desire, or topic of conversation. Walk at a comfortable pace. There’s no rush and you have nowhere to be.

Use this unhurried time to get into your body first. What are you noticing?

Is your chest tight?
Do your legs feel heavy?
Is your stomach growling?

Allow God to speak to you through your body first.

As you begin to walk, ask God to speak. Don’t force or rush a response from the Lord. Pay attention to the state of your heart and soul.

What emotions are evoked?
What thoughts are racing through your mind?

Use a breath prayer (for example, “Lord, here I am”) to center and recenter yourself as you journey toward the middle of the labyrinth. Use all these things as conversation points in your communion with God.

This is the crucible of the journey of solitude. It’s a liminal space. The space in between. It’s here—in this space of obscurity—that there will be wrestling, clarity, consecration, and breakthrough. But it takes time. And walking it out and wrestling through your ask, desire, or petition with God is hard work. You’re on His time.

Now is not the time to hold back. Be honest with God about whatever it is that you’re feeling within you.

Are you angry? Yell!
Are you anxious? Whisper.
Are you happy? Shout it out!
Are you hurt? Cry out to him.
Are you resigned? Sigh.

How often—in the midst of the most intimate and important conversations—are questions, answers, and resolutions given in under thirty seconds? If you’ve been married for any length of time (as I have), then you know—not many!

These conversations are long, laborious, and taxing. But they’re always worth it. Because on the other side of the wrestling is clarity and breakthrough coming.

On the other side of the intense conversation is often intimacy. The effort is well worth the end result.

So, walk slowly. Take heart. Be still. Let Jesus meet you in your wrestling. Take the gloves off. He can handle you—just as you are.

Walk it out.