walk on

Sometimes walking is hard.

And I prefer to wallow instead of walk. Wallowing is easier; it doesn't really require effort from my end. I just float. But with each passing minute, I'm actually sinking deeper into the murkiness, making it that much harder to climb out of it.

It takes a conscious effort, a decision, to walk instead of wallow. To press on when I want to just sit. To move forward when all I want to do is keep things the way they are. To take another step when my foot feels too heavy to lift.

If I'm hoping in Him, I won't grow tired in my walking. My endurance is fueled by my hope in Him. So when I am feeling walk-weary, I need to check my hope tank. When it's running low, I need to remind myself: Put your hope in God.

I'm wrestling with that concept as I try to figure out what that really means. Telling myself to hope in God doesn't seem sufficient to actually make it happen. It helps, and it serves as a challenging reminder. But that can't be it.

How do I build up hope that's diminished? I don't have the answer. But I need to do what I know: Remind myself. Ask God for help to hope. Chew on passages that describe His character. Be strengthened through the encouragement of others. Take time for a selah.

When I hope in Him, I won't be disappointed. And I can't settle for wallowing. When I hope in Him, I can't help but walk.

Put your hope in God and walk on. I'm right beside you.