Keep It Moving
- The Narrow Path
- Dec 16, 2022
- 3 min read
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God (Romans 8:14, NIV).
I met a friend for coffee one morning, and we grabbed a seat outside. We soon realized our mistake as we were interrupted by the deafening whistle of a very nearby train. We paused our conversation while the train loudly and quickly rumbled down the tracks. Moments later, a completely stopped train fired up its engine and began to move. However, because the train had been completely stopped, it was quite difficult to get going again.
Have you ever stopped to think about how much freight a train like that is actually pulling? Though I don’t know an exact number, I know it’s often a lot. As we witnessed that morning, once a train is completely stopped, it’s so much harder to get going again. That’s especially true when it’s carrying a heavy load. I feel like life is that way for me, too.
I’ve recently started working on a new project. Once I have the courage to step out in obedience to whatever the Lord is calling me toward, I have to keep my feet moving. I have to keep the ball rolling. Or, in this case, I’ve got to keep the wheels moving on the tracks. I’ve had numerous experiences where the Lord will put something on my heart that requires an action step on my part. Admittedly, it often takes me far too long to get started. That being said, I’ve learned enough about myself over the years to know that once I get going, I’ve got to keep it moving. Whatever “it” might be.
Most of us probably remember Newton’s Laws of Motion from science class, and law number one applies in this situation: “An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.” 1
Thankfully, the unbalanced force in my life is Jesus. Romans 8:14 says: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Jesus, speaking to me through the Holy Spirit, is what nudges me toward the step of obedience when it comes to making decisions that are difficult, confusing, and sometimes make no sense according to the world’s standards. I am learning in the midst of this current project that I can’t always go at my own pace. Rather, I must allow Jesus to alter my speed and direction according to His plan.
I’m a very achievement-oriented person. It’s part of how God created me to be, and it’s a beautiful thing. But it can also be a detrimental thing if I don’t continue to remind myself of the pause that’s necessary in order to allow the Lord to guide me on the track. Jesus is the conductor of my life, and for that, I’m very grateful.
Is there something in your life that you’ve started in obedience, but in frustration or fatigue you’re considering allowing yourself to come to a complete stop? Unless Jesus is the force stopping you, I want to encourage you today to keep the train moving. As I’m learning, the train won’t always move forward in the exact way we would like it to. However, when we allow Jesus to be the force in our lives that moves us, we can continue to choose obedience in response to His promptings and trust the direction He is leading us.
1. “Newton’s First Law of Motion.” The Physics Classroom. Accessed September 16, 2022. https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-1/Newton-s-First-Law.
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