The Weight of "The Walk"

The Weight of "The Walk"

I'd like to think that for all the triathalons, Half-Marathons (okay, just 1 of those), and Spartan races I've done, that I have spent a lot of my life working out.

Though I'm not very good at "training" for any of these , I’m no stranger to the grind of high-impact, high-intensity endurance.

But maybe it's the season of life I'm in, or the care-free spirit I've noticed about myself lately, but I’ve been thinking a lot about a different kind of movement: The Walk.

I've read so many studies that suggest walking can actually be more beneficial for the body than running. When you walk, you aren’t just moving, but you’re engaging a different kind of resistance. It’s steady, it’s intentional, and it’s sustainable. Running is often about the 'sprint' and the finish line, but walking? It's the foundation. It’s the basis of everything. 

To the athlete, a walk is an invitation to slow down and actually enjoy the journey. Talk a little, unwind. 

To the average person, it’s a gentle, low-pressure way to get started. Training.

Neither are bad. Both serve a purpose. 

In this week’s Come, Follow Me, we read about Enoch, who was called to “walk with God.” (by the way, LOVE this scripture, found in Moses 6:34)

"Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me".

But Enoch definitely wasn't feeling like a hero. And he let God know it, too! He told him that he was "slow of speech" and wondered why on earth he was chosen. He probably felt like he would be getting in the way of the great things God needed done. Like maybe his "walk" would be more of a heavy stumble. 

Oh, boy, can I relate to him. "God, if you really want x-y-z done, go ask Sally over there, she's waaayyy better at that than me!" Or straight up, "I'm gonna pass on that one." 

I think we all feel this way sometimes, right? 

We feel "slow" in our faith, or "inadequate" in our roles, or just plain weighed down by our mistakes. 

We think we have to be sprinting at full speed for God to use us.

The Hebrew Mind-Blower

When Enoch complained about being "slow" or "heavy" of speech, the Hebrew word used is Kabeid. It literally means "heavy" or "weighted down."

But in Hebrew, the word for GLORY is Kabod—which comes from that exact same root.

The very thing that made Enoch feel "heavy" and inadequate was the exact same word for the "Weight of God’s Glory."

... And then look what Enoch went on to do! He taught a nation of people who became so righteous they were taken up to Heaven! ... talk about a "making weak things become strong" moment.

But wait, all good things come in threes ...

In Hebrew, the word for weakness—Kashal—literally means "to stumble." 

You cannot stumble if you are standing still!

3 Hebrew truths to remember when you're feeling the weight of life:

1. "Stumbling" is an action, not an identity.

  In the Hebrew mind, you aren't "a weak person" ... you are just "one who is currently stumbling." Stumbling is something that happens while you are moving. You cannot stumble if you are sitting still! So, if you feel weak, it’s actually proof that you are in a state of forward momentum.

2. The "Stumble" is where the Strength is.

There's a beautiful paradox in the Hebrew scriptures that I love: in the physical world, if a wall is Kashal, it’s falling down. But when God speaks to prophets like Enoch or Moses about their "stumbling" speech or "weak" hands, He uses a different perspective ... 

3. The word for "Strength" (often Koach) is frequently paired with Kashal in a way that suggests strength is what God pours into the gap created BY the stumble.

In our world, we think strength is the absence of stumbling. We think if we were strong enough, coordinated enough, pretty enough, popular enough, we wouldn't trip. No messups for those who have it all together, right? But in God's way, and it truly is the best way, God isn't waiting for us to be strong; He's desiring us to be open enough to let HIS strength in.

I love to think of it like building muscle, as I am one of those weird people who *loves* the feeling of sore muscles (it's the feeling of "I DID something hard!"). But what's interesting is that you aren't actually getting stronger while you’re lifting weights or going on a run. You’re actually creating micro-tears. Technically you're just weakening the very muscle you think is getting stronger. 

However! The amazing thing is ... it is in those tiny, broken gaps that the body pours in new growth, making the muscle thicker and stronger than it was before.

The "stumble" is the tear. Your weakness is the gap. God is the strength.

A Relationship Beyond "Weather Talk"

Honestly, as I read in the manual about all of these prophets: Enoch, Jeremiah, Nephi, Moses, etc, I was just amazed at how they all had such a similar story. 

An inadequacy that they share with God, and then He takes it and changes the story for their good.

But because I can see their story from cover to cover, it's easy to glance over the "growing pains" part. It seems that because we can read it in two minutes that they got through it in two minutes. 

Lucky. They don't have to go through it like I do. 

And then this thought hit my mind:

 If I were perfect, I wouldn’t need a Savior. If I didn’t have any faults, or problems, or obnoxious little weaknesses, I’d have no real reason to turn to Christ for help.

My weaknesses aren't just obstacles; they are invitations. They are opportunities to develop a relationship with Christ that is deeply personal. Instead of my prayers being "weather talk" (polite, surface-level, and distant), these struggles force me to get real. They create a bond with Christ based on actual human hardship, something He is acquainted with intimately.

This is no time for me to be embarrassed of the "thorns" in my path or the "heavy" speech I carry, especially as brain fog becomes my worst enemy and I forget most things. 

This is the time to show Him exactly where it hurts.

When we stop trying to hide the limp in our walk, we allow Him to lead us through the struggle. And it is in that shared struggle that the bond becomes deeper and richer than it ever could have been if the road were paved and our lives were easy.

God is not standing at a finish line with a stopwatch. In my opinion, he's not even the coach with a clipboard checking to see if you had a PR.

He’s there, walking right beside you in the dirt, matching whatever pace you're moving at.

And He isn't asking for a marathon.

He’s just asking if you’re willing to take the next step.

Because when you walk with Him, your "stumble" becomes His strength. Your "heaviness" becomes His glory.

All Things Work Together For Our Good

-Romans 8:28

So, whether you're limping today, or like me, your speech feels heavy and your brain feels foggy ... know that you are in the best of company. God sees you. 

Not only sees you, but hopes you take it as an opportunity to see HIM. He's the only one who can make it right and make you stronger. 

Or more compassionate.

More humble.

More selfless.