Dear Pastor: Walking as a Spiritual Habit
Dear Pastor,
I know you’re busy. It can seem like the work of a pastor never ends! In between preparing for your lessons, pastoring the people, and administrating meetings are the spare moments you give to reading, returning emails, editing videos and audios, and anything else that is on your pastoral plate.
I’ve written to you now a few different times about silence and solitude. I’m repeating this message and emphasizing it over and over again because I’ve been influenced by a college professor of mine who told our class, “If you don’t have time today to build and practice spiritual habits, you won’t have time tomorrow.”
This was, and is, such wise advice.
It’s like the old saying goes: “The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago; but the next best time to plant a tree is today.”
The lesson being, we have to give priority to the things we prioritize. If spiritual self-care is important to you, and I’m asking you to make it so, then you must prioritize it.
Therein lies the problem. Pastors are so busy that trying to find the time to do just one more thing is exhausting just to think about. So I understand if it has been difficult for you to find the time to fit something else (silence and solitude) into your busy schedule, even if you know how important it is.
I know the objections. Believe me, in my own pastoral life, it’s been a challenge to carve out this time as well.
I can’t take the time this morning because I have an early morning coffee appointment.
I can’t take the time this evening because I need to spend the time with my kids.
I can’t take the time this weekend because I’m exhausted from meeting everyone else’s needs all week long.
Sometimes I’ve succeeded; sometimes I’ve failed. What’s helped me the most was to think about developing the habit, putting in the reps, planting the tree. I had to realize that nothing was going to get better unless I put some action behind my intention.
It’s time for you to plant that tree today. May I suggest a “life hack” to trick yourself into taking some time for silence and solitude?
The life hack is this: go for a walk.
All through the Bible, the themes of walking and wilderness appear as metaphors of journey. Abraham set out on a journey when God called him to go to a land then unknown. The Israelites wandered (aka, walked) around the wilderness for 40 years en route to the promised land. Jonah walked through Nineveh delivering God’s message as a way of being obedient to God. Jesus engaged in the ministry of walking and blessing those he encountered.
You, too, can walk as a spiritual habit.
The benefits of walking are that you get to combine physical exercise with spiritual exercise in a way that blesses you with a means for better mental health. And leaving the house to engage in mental, physical, and spiritual exercise is something that your family will likely cooperate with you in. Alternatively, you can go for a walk in the morning before work, in the afternoon as a mid-afternoon break, or during lunch when you don’t have a lunch appointment.
When you go for a walk, follow the same guidelines I’ve recommended to you before: no phones, podcasts, or music. Just you, your thoughts, and God. Take a pocket notebook with you to write down any thoughts you receive as you walk.
Give yourself at least 30 minutes for this. It will take you some time to decompress, to “stop thinking,” if you will, and to be more present and meditative. If you’re anything like me, the thoughts will then begin to flow. I can’t tell you how many times a solution to a problem occurs to me, a sermon outline begins to form, or an extended prayer time with God breaks out when I commit myself to the daily spiritual habit of walking.
Will you commit to, say, walking three times this week for 30 minutes each? Will you let me know when you plan to do this so I can pray for you?
I’d also love to hear how it went for you.
As always, let me know how I can serve you.
Love First,
Jeremy
P.S. Just as walking is a journey, your spiritual growth is also a journey. If you could have a guide who would help you build a more consistent spiritual practice over eight weeks, where you would come out of that time with a deeper sense of purpose, a reignition of your passion for ministry, and a renewed ability to lead others healthily, would that be something you’d be interested in? If so, contact me (or DM me at Twitter) and let’s talk about how I can help you.
Catch the podcast at http://anchor.fm/jeremy-hoover
Watch the videos at http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7x7gq52YoJbtCgwvuqyrsg