Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:8)
A little over a year ago, I had a stress fracture in my right foot and had to wear a boot for two months. (I wrote about that experience here.) Now, all these months later, I continue to have issues with the joint between my right hip and my thigh, the hip flexor. Most days, I don’t notice anything. But every once in a while, my hip aches or I have a catch in my hip when I stand and walk after sitting for an extended period. Earlier this year, in March, I tried running a short distance, and my hip flexor ached constantly for about two months.
When my hip gave me trouble during this time, I went to the doctor, who gently scolded me for running—it was too much too soon, she said. She instructed me to walk or do low-impact exercises only. Then I did some research on exercises that will strengthen that joint. The truth is, I’m getting older and most likely have some arthritis making that joint weaker, even without the added burden of walking off-balance in a boot for two months.
For a while, I did the exercises diligently, and slowly, my hip pain went away. So I stopped doing the exercises, of course. A few days ago, I noticed my hip aching again, especially at night. I hadn’t been running or climbing stairs (another activity that can activate it), so I was at a loss as to what might be causing this flare-up. Then it occurred to me—it might simply be normal wear and tear, and the exercises can help keep those effects at bay. When I don’t perform the exercises intentionally, I slip back into old habits, like sitting for too long at a time, and the pain comes back.
Isn’t this much like our spiritual life? We establish a routine for reading our Bibles, devote ourselves to a quiet time, or join a small group. Then life gets busy, so we put those things aside. One day we notice that we don’t feel as close to God. There’s nothing that we can put our finger on, but the distance is definitely there.
That’s when we realize that those small habits we had formed were strengthening our relationship with God, much like my exercises strengthened my hip. It’s not that the things themselves were so important, because any number of things can help us draw closer to God. But whatever we were doing required us to focus, at least for that moment, on God.
When we notice that distance has formed, all we have to do is reach out to God. Pray for that closeness to be restored. Follow his lead about how to do that—whether it’s reading your Bible, doing a Bible study, carving out a quiet time, setting aside time to pray, joining a group, or going to church in person. You will be amazed at what just a few small moves, done regularly, can do to restore your closeness with him.
Dear Lord, thank you for not moving and for being there when we realize we’ve drifted away. Thank you for welcoming us back and drawing us close. Amen.