Movement is Healing

I heard that phrase not too long ago and I find it very true for myself, and even more so in the face of all that is currently taking place in our country and world today. I don't think anyone could have ever imagined we'd be where we are today. Every infrastructure and institution is severely impacted. We are all experiencing and witnessing the heartbreaking and devastating affects. The hardest part, and there are many, is to see the condition of the human heart. To be fair, not every thing we see or read is complete and certainly not "gospel" because context matters. But what we have seen and witnessed it enough to let us know we are broken. We desperately need healing. We need a touch from God. We need transformation. 

While we all process and work through challenging and painful times differently, the only way to eventually get through it is to engage and move through it. Movement is healing. Movement is healthy. We can move at our own pace. However, inactivity I'm not sure is really a viable option. Sure you can most definitely choose to do nothing. However, you're also choosing to stay exactly where you are presently. You are no further along than where you started. Inactivity can lead to weakness, loss of use and atrophy. As long as we have breath, may God help us to keep living fully alive. 

Movement looks different from person to person. As long as it's healthy (legal) movement that addresses the pain or challenging situation, I think it's okay. That's what makes us unique. There is no true "one size" fits all or a quick fix prescription for our woes and troubles. However, we can garner wisdom and insight from other people's experience and we can absolutely go (if not a must) to God's word for principles to help us. 

In scripture, we see story after story of movement. Movement is weaved throughout the stories of our great heroes of faith and from the New Testament teaching. They were always moving. Nothing was accomplished, completed or won without movement. 

Even in prison, Paul was still "moving" as he would pray and worship throughout the night. In the Old Testament, Abraham kept moving, literally as God directed him by faith to go to this new land or that new area. Esther was moving when she rallied her fellow Jewish brothers and sisters to join her in fasting and praying before she went before the King. Movement is healing. We are called to be a people of movement. 

On the contrast, we also see other stories where the person refused to "move" or stay in the movement God had them in and things didn't turn out so great in those instances. King David was suppose to be "moving" and leading his troops but he found himself bored and on the rooftop of his terrace. He sees a beautiful lady, but she was married. It doesn't end well. But you can go to 2 Samuel and read the entire account for yourself. The rich young ruler asked Jesus what he needed to be saved and Jesus told him. However, the rich young ruler decided to not move in the direction Jesus directly and walked away sad. And no further than where he started. 

What am I saying? 

Does God punish us when we're weak, sad, in need of healing and unable to pray or get up? Absolutely not. He is close to the brokenhearted. We are strong when we are weak in Him. His grace abounds all the more. Does God knock us down when we're already out?  A resounding no. He is the lifter of our heads. He is a strong tower for us. 

Yes, we can lament. We can cry. We can weep. We can be sad. We can be downcast. Check out Psalms. But friend, we don't stay there. We have to eventually get ourselves up. That may look like laying in your bed, but lifting that arm in surrender to Jesus. You may be unable to get off your couch but you choose to open your mouth and shout forth a sacrifice of praise. You stop numbing with all sorts of TV shows and choose to turn on worship music or tune into that online church. You stop self-medicating with various external substances and you pick yourself up and literally clean yourself off (take that shower, change those clothes) or your environment (wash those dishes, tidy that house). 

Friend, what ever you do, just keep moving. Movement is healing. Sometimes it may feel like it takes the very life out of us to do that one task but know that God's grace meets us in the middle. Though activity may seem insignificant or trivial, just do it or keep doing it. Keep taking one step at a time. 

Today, what ever you do, just keep moving towards the Father.